Tag: Paddington (GB)

Sandown: “Supreme Traveller” Emily Upjohn The One To Beat In The Eclipse

Looking at the history of the G1 Coral-Eclipse, it is clear that fillies and mares have had a hard time against the colts in Sandown's jewel. While the illustrious Pebbles (GB) managed to prevail in 1985 and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) did so three years ago with the lesser-heralded Kooyonga (Ire) victorious in between in 1992, the list of beaten elite stars among the sex is extensive. It includes Time Charter (Ire), Triptych, Indian Skimmer, In The Groove (GB), Bosra Sham, Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), The Fugue (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and also Enable who was only second attempting a second success in 2021. Like the latter pair, TDN Rising Star Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) hails from the Gosdens' Clarehaven base and does so with similar gravitas to her predecessors on Saturday.

Already an unlucky-looking Oaks runner-up and easy G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. winner at three, it was at Epsom last month that the filly owned in partnership by the Lloyd-Webbers, Jonathan Shack and Stuart Roden really took off. Her display of brilliance in the G1 Coronation Cup, in which her blistering sectionals included a :10.52 from three to two out which proved faster than any produced in either the Derby or Oaks over the same course, distance and ground, surprised connections but the secret is very much out now where she is concerned.

That this plays out over the same course and distance over which she gained TDN Rising Star status when winning her novice by 9 1/2 lengths in April 2022 lends even greater weight to her credentials and William Buick is relishing the opportunity to try and extend his tally of three wins in this starting with this yard's Nathaniel (Ire) 11 years ago. “I rode her in a racecourse gallop and she feels great,” he said. “She  is a supreme traveller with a turn of foot and has all the attributes at this level.”

 

Paddington Following Old Trends

Ballydoyle has a rich history of winning this with 3-year-olds, with the late great Dr. Vincent O'Brien delivering four from that generation including Solford and Sadler's Wells who subdued the aforementioned Time Charter in 1983 and 1984, respectively. Aidan has followed on with a quartet of his own among his total of six, beginning with Giant's Causeway in the millennium year. Like the “Iron Horse”, TDN Rising Star Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Ire}) comes here having taken the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas-G1 St James's Palace S. route and at this stage there is no way of telling where his ceiling is.

   Giant's Causeway was the winner of a thrilling renewal, which involved another class mare in Shiva (Jpn), while the other from the yard stepping up from those mile monuments Black Minnaloushe (Storm Cat) was a close fifth and possibly a touch unlucky a year later.

Ryan Moore said, “Mine is a straightforward horse and I've loved everything he's done this year. There are a few questions he has to answer and we'll find out tomorrow, but he has a lot of class.”

 

Gone West?

Tactics may well play a hand despite the fact that there are only four runners. Small fields do not necessarily guarantee a trouble-free race, as Kieren Fallon found out ensnared on the rail on the aforementioned Bosra Sham at a crucial stage in 1997 when there were five contenders. Step forward the third TDN Rising Star West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), a talented performer on his day who would not be a far-fetched winner of a race that might tactically suit.

He has the added advantage of Jamie Spencer and Ed Crisford was keen to stress that the in-form rider is key to the prospects of the dual Group 3 scorer. “Jamie understands the horse and believes in the horse. He understands how to be with him, as he can be a bit of a quirky horse in his demeanour,” he said. “He is channelling his energy much better after being gelded, which is helping him stay. Now it is just a case of climbing the ladder.”

 

Dubai Honour

Always on the cusp of a Group 1 win at home, the now fully-mature Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) has gone the “Addeybb” route of the G1 Ranvet and G1 Queen Elizabeth S. Kept away from fast ground by William Haggas, Mohamed Obaida's 5-year-old showed what he can do on a lively surface in the Ranvet but it was significant that connections felt afterwards that they “got away with” that going. It is going to be hot at Sandown on Saturday and drying conditions may play against him, but the famous uphill climb to the line is always a help to horses like him.

“Australia was Dubai Honour's new beginning as a Group 1 horse and we are looking forward to his first run back in a Group 1 on home turf,” Tom Marquand said. “The stiff finish will suit him and it looks as if he might be better going right-handed. It's a tough race, but hopefully he can finish off with a bit of a rattle.”

 

Westover Takes Aim At Saint-Cloud

Juddmonte's Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) would no doubt have been a major player in the Eclipse, so anything other than a smooth win in Saturday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud can be registered as an upset. Staged 15 minutes after his G1 Coronation Cup conqueror Emily Upjohn's Eclipse outing, last year's G1 Irish Derby hero gets reacquainted with Zagrey (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) who was 2 1/4 lengths behind him as they filled the consolation slots in arrears of Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic.

Bearing in mind what Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) did at Royal Ascot, that Meydan form is probably the world's best at present and it all points to Westover providing he is on best behaviour. He wasn't when blowing out in last year's King George, while his antics in the lead-up to the Sheema Classic might have compromised him there. “It's always in the back of your mind. He did in Ascot last year, but in Dubai it wasn't really the same as it was his first run of the year in a new environment and he was fresh,” the operation's Barry Mahon said. “Hopefully Ascot was a one-off isolated incident and he'll be fine on Saturday. You'd like to think he'll hard to beat, to be fair.”

 

The Supporting Acts

Two significant Group 2 races form the background to Saturday's feature events, with Haydock's Lancashire Oaks and Saint-Cloud's Prix Eugene Adam offering contrasting fare. Of the older fillies and mares assembled for the former, George Strawbridge's G2 Park Hill S. winner Mimikyu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) stands out after her creditable second under a penalty in York's G3 Bronte Cup in May. Bidding for a 10th renewal for the Gosdens, she follows on from last year's Lancashire Oaks winner Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) tackling Sunderland Holding's course-and-distance G3 Lester Piggott S. winner Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

Experience may not count for much in the Eugene Adam if Newtown Anner Stud Farm's impressive Gowran maiden winner Knight To King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) makes the usual progress that Dermot Weld's 3-year-olds tend to from their debuts. The son of Gita Weld's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas-winning Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) holds a special place in his trainer's heart and it will be interesting to see how far the half-brother to Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) can ascend in the rankings.

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Sandown’s Eclipse Attracts Field Of Four, Anmaat Absent

Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse is down to just four after one of the main protagonists Anmaat (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) was ruled out at the 11th hour due to a foot abscess. TDN Rising Stars Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Ire}), Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) are joined by this year's G1 Ranvet and G1 Queen Elizabeth S. hero Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) as Shadwell's G1 Prix d'Ispahan winner was forced to skip the contest.

“It's just a matter of timing, he'll be fine next week hopefully,” Angus Gold said. “It's a big blow to Owen [Burrows] and the team there and obviously Sheikha Hissa and all at Shadwell. Off the top of my head we could look at something like the Irish Champion S., but that is obviously a while away yet. The Eclipse was his prime summer target, but there we go.”

Emily Upjohn, so impressive in the G1 Coronation Cup last time, was declared without the hood she sported in the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and at Epsom last time. As announced earlier in the week, William Buick will partner the Gosdens' 4-year-old, who will look to provide the Lloyd Webbers and Buick with more joy than The Fugue (GB) (Dansili {GB}) who was last of seven in the 2013 edition and Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) who had beaten only one of the five runners three years earlier. In France, five have been declared for Saturday's €400,000 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, with the Coronation Cup runner-up and last year's G1 Irish Derby hero Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the standout.

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Siyouni’s TDN Rising Star Paddington Makes History In The St James’s Palace

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).

 

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Royal Ascot: Inspiral Kicks Off Frankie’s Long Farewell

Frankie. Storms. A New King. It's Royal Ascot again, and all the themes and strands of the week will begin to unravel as soon as Charles III has made his way up the straight mile in his first procession as the ruling monarch. Maybe the forecast thunder will get there first, who knows? It's been a while since the meeting enjoyed the promise of clear skies over the five days and it's no safe bet we'll get that luxury this time. Once the opening Queen Anne is underway, the Italian genie will be steering the same course on the first of his week's arrows, one of the vast array of precious Frankel offerings in Inspiral (GB). She saved him during probably his worst Royal Ascot last year and depending on how Cheveley Park Stud's homebred performs here, the tone will be set for the rest of the week. A win for the filly and it could be that it's Frankie's world Tuesday to Saturday and we're all living in it.

One thing is for sure and that is that Inspiral needs to jump from the stalls a lot faster than she did when dropping the baton in the QEII here in October. Frankel, who also became prone to delivering that slow-breaking party trick late in his career, is on his way to becoming a pre-eminent presence here in his second career. That said, he still has work to do to catch Royal Ascot's true ruler in Dubawi (Ire) whose multiple winners almost every year come over all distances. Sheikh Mohammed's emperor sire is currently staying ahead of his Juddmonte nemesis, so it is fitting that their paths cross instantly in 2023. Godolphin's Modern Games (Ire), whose professionalism and straightforward nature has seen him jump from Charlie Appleby's third-choice miler a year ago to leading light, shades favouritism for the Queen Anne as this is written.

Frankel's influence on the meeting that witnessed one of his incredulous displays continues all week, with the opening fixture's G1 St James's Palace S. hosting his high-achieving son Chaldean (GB), another Dettori posting. There is a touch of The Rock about Juddmonte's no-fuss Dewhurst and 2000 Guineas winner and the way he is going he could end up another Kingsclere legend. First, he has to suppress the Curragh Classic winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), the season's stealth bomber. A key component of Team Ballydoyle's opening salvo, which is perhaps a touch light for them, he has to overcome a wide draw as well as a Newmarket Classic winner as he bids for edition number nine for Aidan O'Brien.

Galileo's influence, so longstanding here, is sadly confined on Tuesday to one of the yard's second division performers in Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) in the Listed Wolferton S., a kind of Princes of Wales's S. consolation prize. If his omnipotence has diminished with his reduced representation, then the opportunity is there for a new Coolmore figurehead to emerge. Wootton Bassett (GB) is doing just that at present and his son River Tiber (Ire) heads into a battle of the TDN Rising Stars in the G2 Coventry S. With George Boughey's Asadna (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}). The latter's scintillating time trial at Ripon put him into another dimension where his age group is concerned and recent Royal Ascots have proven how crucial the study of individual sectional time performances have been ahead of these tests.

Despite the Asadna effect, River Tiber has some of the best in the business already excited. As Ryan Moore discussed the operation's new 2-year-old sensation in his betfair blog, it felt almost like a warning. “Confidence is not a word I would use with so many similarly-unexposed promising two-year-olds in here, but I'll just say he is in very good shape for this,” he stated, which could translate as “watch which way he goes”.

Where the premier Royal Ascot sprints are concerned, 2023 marks a special anniversary with it being 20 years since the hemisphere-breaching revolution set in motion by Choisir (Aus). Prior to that moment, the idea of a strong Australasian, North American and Asian presence at this meeting was a flight of fancy, not the perennial certainty it is now. A barometer of how much respect overseas sprinters generate was evident again twelve months ago as Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) and Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) dominated the market for the G1 King's Stand S.

This year's renewal, which seems one for the fillies and mares, is not nearly so pre-destined for export with the Boadicea-like Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) standing firm. Not since Britain celebrated the likes of Habibti (Ire) in the 1980s has a sprinting mare captured the imagination as she did during her golden summer in 2022 and her task is to ward off the chief Antipodean challenger Coolangatta (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}) here. United with Nature Strip's rider James McDonald, having gone the tried-and-trusted Lightning route, she is Australia's apparent flag-bearer. Then there is the seriously-fast TDN Rising Star Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), who tries to do a “Lady Aurelia” for the Northern Hemisphere 3-year-old generation.

With all the subplots to a day at Royal Ascot, burning questions remain ahead of Tuesday's action. Will Irad Ortiz Jr be able to impose himself this year after a forgettable intro in 2022? Wesley Ward's Keeneland dynamo Fandom (GB) (Showcasing {GB})–the first horse to be double-entered this week having been confirmed for Wednesday's Listed Windsor Castle S.–and established sprinter Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) can possibly help get him more into the Ascot groove. Can Amo Racing break their Royal meeting duck? The juvenile Bucanero Fuerte (GB), another Wootton Bassett owned in partnership with Giselle De Aguiar, is their first representative of the week in the Coventry. Can the pair of TDN Rising Stars Cicero's Gift (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) and Mostabshir (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) defy the inexperience gap and make their mark in the St James's Palace? Can Willie Mullins tighten his grip on the staying handicaps with the dual-purpose stars Bring On The Night (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB})? The latter is undoubtedly the classiest hurdler that his trainer has brought here and could conceivably have won Thursday's Gold Cup. Ryan Moore is on both supposed “good things” and a double on top of any earlier successes could see him stake an early claim for a landmark 10th leading rider title. With such firepower this week, what can stop him? Ah, yes. Frankie.

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