Paddington defeats Emily Upjohn to deliver 7th Eclipse triumph for Aidan O'Brien

08 July 2023 , 16:22

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Paddington won the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Image: Dave Shopland/REX/Shutterstock)

Aidan O'Brien has found a new ‘iron horse’ in Paddington who saw off the challenge of Emily Upjohn to land the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

The Ballydoyle maestro claimed his seventh victory in the battle of the generations 23 years after Giant’s Causeway, the original ‘Iron Horse’, provided his first. Giant’s Causeway cut a swathe through the major 1m and 1m2f races during the summer of 2000 winning five Group 1 races in a row.

Paddington, winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes, bagged his third after successfully graduating to the new 1m2f trip. His jockey Ryan Moore said: “Emily Upjohn came to him and he found plenty. He was always doing enough.

“I think he is a legitimate real high-quality colt. He has a lot of pace, a lot of gears and a lot of class. He has proved he is a very tough, durable horse. From winning on the first day of the season in March, he has turned up and given his best every time.”

Giant’s Causeway won the St James’s Palace Stakes, Eclipse, Sussex Stakes, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes and Paddington could continue along the same programme.

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“He’s a serious horse,” said O’Brien. “I would say there is a good chance he could be back at a mile for the Sussex Stakes. We will see how he is in a week.”

Emily Upjohn will return to a mile and a half with the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes her probable next goal. “It was a super run,” said John Gosden.”We know she is a mile and a half filly and we are giving 7lb.”

Gosden could take on Paddington with another filly after Inspiral was ruled out of next Friday’s Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket to wait for the Sussex.

Jon Lees