England: Paddington holds on to win Group 1 Eclipse Stakes
After stalking early in second place, Paddington raced to the lead in the final furlong Saturday and held on for a half-length win in the 127th running of the Group 1, $908,291 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, England, giving trainer Aidan O’Brien a record-breaking seventh victory in the race.
Ridden by Ryan Moore, 3-year-old Paddington (3-5) was taken wide with the rest of the four-horse field into the stretch. He had his head turned toward the infield as he was fending off late-charging 4-year-old filly Emily Upjohn (2-1) for his sixth consecutive win.
“I don’t think we saw the best of him,” said Moore, who won the race for the third time. “He brought me there very comfortably, and I felt I was very vulnerable in the middle of the track. He was exposed, and a very good filly came running at him.”
Stretched past a mile for the first time, the Siyouni colt was clocked at 2:05.16 for the 1 1/4 miles on a right-turn course rated good.
The 6-year-old gelding West Wind Blows (12-1) set the early, single-file pace before fading to finish 6 1/2 lengths back in third. Dubai Honour (8-1), a 5-year-old gelding, never was a factor and came in last in the field of four.
Since losing his debut, Paddington has won all his starts since October, including this spring’s Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) at the Curragh and the St. James’s Palace (G1) at Royal Ascot. He has options to race Aug. 2 in the Sussex (G1) at Goodwood and Aug. 23 in the International (G1) at York.
“He’s a dream,” said O’Brien, who had been tied with early-20th-century trainer Alec Taylor Jr. for most Eclipse wins. “The lads (Coolmore owners) will make a decision where we go next. I’d imagine they would look at the Sussex Stakes, but we’ll see how he comes out of this.”
With Saturday’s strong runner-up finish and last month’s Coronation Cup (G1) victory making up her 2023 past performances, Emily Upjohn will continue to be aimed at the 1 1/2-mile Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) in October, according to co-trainer John Gosden.