By Tom Frary
In the battle of the 2000 Guineas winners in Tuesday's G1 St James's Palace S., it was the Irish Classic victor Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}–Modern Eagle {Ger}, by Montjeu {Ire}) who proved much the best as he overwhelmed the Newmarket hero Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to make Aidan O'Brien Royal Ascot's winningmost trainer on 83.
Settled behind the leaders from his wide draw by Ryan Moore as Frankie took the Juddmonte representative to the front, the 11-5 second favourite moved to his chief rival with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and was cajoled clear to score by an impressive 3 3/4 lengths. Chaldean finished like a non-stayer, but the 13-8 market-leader held on for second by a neck from Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
“He's a very good colt who is improving and improving and has a big engine and a lot of class,” Moore said after registering his 75th Royal success. “Maybe I should have ridden him colder, as he quickened up past them and then probably shut down. He took me there quite easy and, when he put his foot down, he found plenty.”
Delivered to the Irish 2000 Guineas via Naas's Madrid H. and The Curragh's Listed Tetrarch S., Paddington came into the Curragh Classic with a lower profile than usual for his stable only to emerge very much the real deal en route to this moment of truth. Forced to travel wide from his outside post, he fortunately proved more tractable than he had in the initial stages of the Irish Guineas and was at least granted a true pace with Frankie going out to put the gun to the heads of his rivals.
Heading to the three pole, Chaldean looked strong but a furlong later the writing was already on the wall with Frankie at work and Ryan looming large to his right. Whereas Andrew Balding's charge tended to tread water from there, Paddington was hands and heels to the line to win with comfort. Intriguingly, the winner was faster than the runner-up for six of the eight furlongs and for all of the last five in a race that ended up being run too fast too early.
O'Brien, who now boasts nine St James's Palace S., was opening the door to a program over more than a mile in time. “He is able to quicken very well–that is his big thing,” he said. “John [Magnier] said to me that this horse would get further than a mile if you wanted him to, no problem. The lads will have to think about whether they want to go to Goodwood [for the Sussex S.]. He has all the options, because he has the speed to be a top miler as we see, so it's very exciting.”
Andrew Balding said of Chaldean, “Frankie has felt he probably just overdid it a little early, but I'm not sure whether that would have made a difference to the result. They are two very high-class horses.”
Roger Varian said of Charyn, who put up a personal best in third, “I am delighted with how he ran–he seems to be improving. He was beaten the same distance today by Paddington as he was at The Curragh. He's versatile, tough and genuine. I don't think he's out of place in this company and I think he'll keep improving all year.”
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 son 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.
Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
ST JAMES'S PALACE S.-G1, £600,000, Ascot, 6-20, 3yo, c, 7f 213yT, 1:40.74, 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
(€420,000 Ylg '21 ARQDOY). O-Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg & Brant; B-Dayton Investments Ltd (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £340,260. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, 6-5-0-0, $811,659. Masterpiece (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), MSP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Chaldean (GB), 128, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Suelita (GB), by Dutch Art (GB). (550,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA). O-Juddmonte; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £129,000.
3–Charyn (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)–Futoon (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Grangemore Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £64,560.
Margins: 3 3/4, NK, 1HF. Odds: 2.20, 1.63, 33.00.
Also Ran: Isaac Shelby (GB), Indestructible (Ire), Mostabshir (GB), Cicero's Gift (GB), Royal Scotsman (GB), Galeron (Ire).
AIDAN O'BRIEN'S #RoyalAscot RECORD-BREAKER!
Paddington is brilliant in the St James's Palace Stakes for Ryan Moore and gives Aidan O'Brien his 83rd Royal @Ascot winner! pic.twitter.com/pDWaFHMynT
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2023
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