Ballydoyle superstar Paddington will not travel to Santa Anita on Saturday for next week’s Breeders’ Cup as planned owing to an elevated temperature and a respiratory infection.
The brilliant son of Siyouni, who won six straight races this season, including four in a row at Group 1 level, will retire straight to Coolmore Stud. His Group 1 roll began with a ‘going away’ win in the Irish 2,000 Guineas quickly followed by the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Eclipse Stakes and the Sussex Stakes.
“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.”
“He’s a gorgeous horse, very good-looking, very laid back,” commented John Gosden trainer of Eclipse Stakes second Emily Upjohn. “A lovely horse and a proper stallion prospect.”
Bred by Dayton Investments out of the Listed-winning Montjeu mare Modern Eagle, Paddington’s next three dams were all Group 1 performers with his fourth dam being the undefeated Champion racemare Madelia.
A fee will be announced at a later date.
