The Group I Irish 2000 Guineas (1m) was run overnight at The Curragh with the Coolmore partnership owned Siyouni colt Paddington continuing his rapid rise to score a powerful victory.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Paddington won his maiden from just two starts last year, but has taken giant strides this year.
He won when returning at Naas over 7f in March and then won the Listed Tetrarch Stakes on May before taking the quantum leap to Group I company.
Paddington asserted himself over the final furlong and was dominant at the finish winning by two lengths over his stablemate Cairo (Quality Road) and has now won four of five starts.
“Paddington had been doing everything very nicely. He's maturing very well and Ryan gave him a brilliant ride. He didn't have to light him up and he is a very exciting horse. The natural progression looks to be the St James's Palace Stakes,” said Aidan O'Brien.
A 420,000 euro purchase from the Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale, Paddington is a half-brother to stakes-placed Masterpiece from stakes-winning Montjeu mare Modern Eagle.
He is the ninth Group I winner for champion French sire Siyouni, who has become an important stallion for Coolmore with his Group I winning sons St Mark’s Basilica and Sottsass both on the roster in Ireland.
He is the 15th Group I winner as a broodmare sire for Montjeu, whose daughters are working well with Siyouni to produce 12 winners from 15 runners with Paddington the second stakes-winner with a further five horses stakes-placed.
St Mark's Basilica is returning to Australia this spring.
Siyouni’s champion son St Mark’s Basilica shuttled to Coolmore Australia last spring and returns again this year at a fee of $44,000.
