By Tom Frary
Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh was one for Ballydoyle, as TDN Rising Star Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) provided his stable with compensation for their Newmarket disappointment three weeks earlier. Prepared for this Classic “old-school style” via the Madrid H. and Listed Tetrarch S., the dark horse of the Rosegreen 3-year-old crop attracted support into 3-1 second favouritism and enjoyed a tow from fellow TDN Rising Star Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) throughout the early stages.
Putting the pressure on that 2000 Guineas runner-up three out, the bay gave generously for Ryan Moore to get on top a furlong from home and assert for a two-length success from Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road), who put the cherry on the cake in providing a one-two for the 12-times Irish 2000 Guineas-winning trainer Aidan O'Brien.
There was an inquiry, with Paddington having bumped the eventual third inside the last furlong, but the result was allowed to stand. Hi Royal faded late to be a further 3/4 of a length behind in third, with the well-backed 6-4 favourite Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) never a factor in ninth.
O'Brien has another top-class son of Siyouni on his hands in Paddington, whose sole defeat came when fifth on his introduction at Ascot in September prior to earning his TDN Rising Star tag back on home soil here in October. “We went to Ascot first time with him and he was very babyish, but he wintered very well and we were very happy with him in the Spring,” he explained. “He ended up in the Madrid on a lovely mark, it was a lovely place to start him as it was over seven furlongs, even though the ground was soft. Then he came back here and won the Tetrarch in soft ground again, so we weren't really sure about the ground with him. Obviously he's a Siyouni out of a Montjeu mare. He was always a beautiful mover, but you are never sure until they do it.”
“Seamus loved him the last day and he had been doing everything really nice since. He's a fine, big horse and is maturing very well. He's very good-looking,” the Ballydoyle handler added. “He was a little bit slow away, but Ryan got his position very quickly on him and he didn't light him up to do it. He's a very exciting horse. The St James's Palace looks like the natural progression for him, because he doesn't look short of speed even though he will get further in time.”
Pedigree Notes
Bred and raised at Monceaux for the Wildensteins, Paddington who was the joint-second highest-priced lot when realising €420,000 at the 2021 Arqana October Sale, is currently the last known foal out of the Listed Prix Belle de Nuit winner Modern Eagle (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}). Her first progeny was Masterpiece (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was twice listed-placed in France while she is a daughter of the G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Millionaia (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and a half to the Listed Vintage Tipple S. winner and G3 Loughbrown S.-placed Mighty Blue (Fr) by Montjeu's Authorized (Ire). Millionaia is out of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Moonlight Dance (Alysheba), who is also the second dam of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris scorer Ming Dynasty (Fr) (King's Best) while the fourth dam Madelia (Fr) (Caro) scored three times at the highest level including in the Diane.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
TATTERSALLS IRISH 2000 GUINEAS-G1, €500,000, Curragh, 5-27, 3yo, c/f, 8fT, 1:40.80, gd.
1–PADDINGTON (GB), 128, c, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Modern Eagle (Ger) (SW-Fr), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Millionaia (Ire), by Peintre Celebre
3rd Dam: Moonlight Dance, by Alysheba
TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€420,000 Ylg '21 ARQDOY). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Westerberg & Peter Brant; B-Dayton Investments Ltd (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €285,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $381,722. *1/2 to Masterpiece (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), MSP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Cairo (Ire), 128, c, 3, Quality Road–Cuff (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €95,000.
3–Hi Royal (Ire), 128, c, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Majestic Roi, by Street Cry (Ire). TDN Rising Star. O-Jaber Abdullah; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Kevin Ryan. €45,000.
Margins: 2, 3/4, HF. Odds: 3.00, 14.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Charyn (Ire), Galeron (Ire), Quar Shamar (Ger), Proud And Regal (Ire), Alexander John (Ire), Royal Scotsman (Ire), Age Of Kings (Ire), Bold Discovery.
Paddington wins the @tatts_ireland Irish 2000 Guineas!
The Siyouni colt makes it three from three this season and hands Aidan O'Brien a 12th victory in the @curraghrace Classic 🏇 @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/hDIiYQnSwT
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 27, 2023
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