The high-class miler Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}–Modern Eagle {Ger}, by Montjeu {Ire}), bound for Santa Anita's GI Breeders' Cup Mile, has instead been retired directly to Coolmore Stud for the 2024 breeding season due to an elevated temperature and a respiratory infection, the stud announced on Friday. A fee for the Aidan O'Brien trainee will be revealed later.
Bred by Dayton Investments, Ltd., the four-time Group 1 winner won his second start as a juvenile, and then proceeded to take his first six races at three, including the top-level Irish 2000 Guineas, St James's Palace S., Eclipse S. and the Sussex S. He was also third in York's G1 International S. A €420,000 Arqana October yearling, Paddington's record stands at 10-7-0-1 and $2,219,337 in earnings.
“To do what he did takes a very special horse,” said his trainer Aidan O'Brien. “In terms of his attitude and determination he was very similar to Giant's Causeway but Paddington was a much quicker horse. He had great tactical speed but could quicken off it. He's an unbelievable specimen who stands over an incredible amount of ground. He got physically stronger and heavier from race to race which is a very unusual thing in a thoroughbred.”
A half-brother to the multiple stakes-placed Masterpiece (Fr) (Mastercraftman {Ire}), Paddington is the fourth and last reported foal of his dam, the Listed Prix Belle de Nuit heroine Modern Eagle. Herself a half-sister to Listed Vintage Tipple S. heroine and G3 Loughbrown S. third Mighty Blue (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}), Modern Eagle is out of the G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Millionaia (Ire) (Peintre Celebre). Millionaia, in turn, is a half-sister to two black-type horses, anchored by G1 Dewhurst S. second Fencing Master (GB) (Oratorio {Ire}), while their dam is G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Moonlight Dance (Alysheba). This is also the family of G1 Melbourne Cup bridesmaid Heartbreak City (Fr) (Lando {Ger}). French champion and dual Classic winner Madelia (Fr) (Caro {Ire}) is Paddington's great great granddam.
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