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Imago

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Imago

Aidan O’Brien’s trained horse is making noises in the racing circuit. Paddington the three-year-old colt is one of the favorites for the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. He is entering the race after coming up with a win at the 10-furlong Eclipse Stakes. It was his third Group 1 win in a row.

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The race at Goodwood holds importance because it is a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park. Aidan on the other hand seems to making a run for the seventh title of the British trainers’ championship. The colt is in winning form and the trainer is quite happy with his performance.

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Paddington all set for Sussex Stakes

This year, Paddington started positively, which he took forward for the rest of the year. This year he has won all his races of which three of them were group 1 races. His first race win was in March on 7-furlong turf of  Premier handicap at Naas, Ireland. His next success was on 1-mile turf in Tetrarch Stakes at Curragh in May. Paddington’s first Group 1 win came at the end of May. It was Irish 2000 Guineas at Curragh. His next group 1 success came in St. Jame’s Palace Stakes at  Royal Ascot racetrack last month.

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Paddington’s last Group 1 win was at Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, where he had an older opponent Emily Upjohn. But, he won against her by half a length distance. The colt’s winning streak has invited comparisons with O’Brien’s  Giant’s Causeway, another one of his horses who won nine of his thirteen starts and was second in the rest of them.

Worth over one million Paddington’s chief rival for the Sussex Stakes is Cheveley Park Stud’s Inspiral. She is also three Group 1 winners. It seems this time also he had a tough opponent to face. However, his trainer is quite happy with his performance at the moment.

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Aidan O’Brien all praise for Paddington

Aidan O’Brien trained  Paddington has exceeded his expectations.  The trainer said, “What Paddington has done has been incredible. I’m not sure we’ve ever had a horse that has made that much improvement – physically, mentally, and confidence-wise. And he looks so natural.” His winning steek and form have led him to be compared with his earlier trained horse.

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At this point, the trainer gave his observations. He said, “He’s quicker than Giants Causeway. He’s got an amazing constitution, like him, but he’s much quicker.” He further said that Giant has run all his races at the same weight throughout his career. But that is not the case with Paddington. He is getting heavier and developing physically. In the end, he said that the horse has surprised him and cannot say how long will he go.

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Written by

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Saiful Khan

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Saiful is an American Sports writer at Essentially Sports who specializes in Rodeo and equestrian. His passion for sports extends to the field of equestrianism and is fascinated by the speed of horses as he is by the wrath of bull riding. Being an avid sports enthusiast, Saiful is a big admirer of the mastery of British equestrian Charlotte Dujardin.

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Anupama Ghosh

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