Four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will be freshened until a likely start on QIPCO British Champions Day in October, trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed.
After breaking his maiden at second asking at two, the Coolmore partners runner won his first six starts at three, including the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S., G1 Eclipse and the G1 Sussex S. He suffered only his second career loss when a game third to Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York on Wednesday.
“Paddington is good, he's fine,” said O'Brien, speaking from the Curragh on Saturday. “In all fairness to him he's answered every call and even at York he answered it.
“He'll have a little break now and we might look at going back to Ascot with him. We'll give him a little chance and he'll come back like a new horse. We've fairly put it up to him for a baby 3-year-old.”
The son of Modern Eagle (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}) has a couple of options for that October Ascot card, with the one-mile G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. or the 10-furlong G1 Champion S. both being considered.
He added, “Either the Champion or the mile, whatever the lads decide. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the mile as he has loads of speed.
“He gets a mile and a quarter, but it might be just class that makes him get it. He could be a miler, only that I've been stretching him and he wasn't getting a choice.”
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