Star juvenile City of Troy appears the new Coolmore icon, but not that long ago Paddington was the name on everyone’s lips.
A handicap winner at Naas in March who followed up at listed level in May, he then swept all before him in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (G1), St James’s Palace Stakes (G1), Eclipse Stakes (G1), and Sussex Stakes (G1), but was only third in York’s Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) in his latest start two months ago.
The top 3-year-old, a four-time group 1 winner, is a deserved warm favorite heading into the Oct. 21 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) on British Champions Day.
“We’re very happy with (Paddington),” said trainer Aidan O’Brien.
“He has had a tough campaign but he just kept turning up time after time. He’s delighted with himself at the moment. Everyone around him is very happy. He’s very fresh and very well, and the little bit of time he had has really helped him. He had a busy time but was always able for everything we threw at him.”
The trainer, seeking a record-equaling fifth win in Britain’s most prestigious all-age mile race, added: “He ran a very good race at York and (jockey) Ryan (Moore) was happy with him. It just didn’t work but that can happen. We’ve been very happy with him since.
“He seems versatile and all his early form was on soft ground, so we weren’t sure about fast ground for him, but he went on fast ground the same as he went on soft.
“Ryan always rides him in a very uncomplicated way and I’d imagine that’s what he’ll do again. He’s very straightforward.”
Nashwa camp optimistic
Nashwa has been campaigned mainly over 10 furlongs and is pretty handy over that trip, but a suspicion has long lingered this test could suit. She has won both starts over a mile, including a devastating five-length success in the Falmouth Stakes (G1) this summer.
Hollie Doyle, the only jockey to have ridden Nashwa, said: “The trip doesn’t seem to be an issue and she goes on any ground.
“She’s been great lately when placed against the colts in the Juddmonte and Irish Champion (Stakes, G1), and those two runs have been close to her career-best.”
The 4-year-old is trained by Thady Gosden and his father John, who said: “Nashwa goes on any ground. She was finishing fast on quick ground in the Irish Champion last time and has also won on soft. Hopefully the ground won’t be overly heavy in the straight, where it’s meant to drain better than the round course. I thought the stiff mile on that ground would suit her better than a mile and a quarter.”
A Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In contest, the winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes earns an all-expenses paid berth to the Nov. 4 $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park.
