 |
|
| Sumita Pawar |
 |
Aidan O'Brien secures his seventh Coral-Eclipse title as Paddington narrowly defeats Emily Upjohn in an exhilarating showdown at Sandown. The front two finishers are separated by only half a length, with West Wind Blows claiming third place and Dubai Honour finishing fourth.
Paddington emerged victorious in a thrilling Group One Coral-Eclipse at Sandown after a fierce competition with Emily Upjohn. The highly anticipated clash between Aidan O'Brien's Irish 2000 Guineas champion and the John and Thady Gosden-trained Coronation Cup victor lived up to its expectations, with the two horses finishing only half a length apart.
Paddington's Triumph Against All Odds
West Wind Blows, ridden by Jamie Spencer, led the way in the four-runner field, closely followed by Paddington with jockey Ryan Moore, while Emily Upjohn, ridden by William Buick, kept a close eye on them.
Dubai Honour stayed behind throughout the race, as the horses remained in single file for most of the mile-and-two-furlong journey.
Paddington made the first move and seemed like he might secure an easy victory, but Emily Upjohn posed a strong challenge from the outside.
The top two horses pulled away from the rest of the field, but Paddington held on to his lead, securing his third consecutive Group One win and giving Aidan O'Brien his seventh Coral Eclipse title.
Aidan O'Brien's younger horse, who received a 7lb weight advantage, narrowly defeated the Coronation Cup winner by half a length at Sandown over a distance of 10 furlongs.
O'Brien said, "He (Paddington) just got there a little bit earlier than he (Moore) wanted and he just waited a bit. I just suppose his pace took him there and he didn't break his rhythm and that was 100 per cent the right thing to do.
"When you are meeting a filly like that, she wasn't going to lie down easily and obviously it would have been perfect for her, because she had a target to take her there.
"We knew how good she was and we wouldn't underestimate her in any way."
Emily Upjohn's Triumphant Return
After her courageous performance in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown, where she narrowly missed out on victory to Paddington, Emily Upjohn is expected to return to racing at a mile and a half.
Emily Upjohn, trained by John Gosden and his son Thady, showed great resilience despite losing in a four-runner race over a shorter distance.
He said, "It is disappointing when you only get four runners in a race of this class and nature. She has run great, a little slow out the gate, so she settled into third but had every opportunity up the straight and obviously had to take the length and a bit to get to him, but it was a superb race and we are thrilled with her.
"Back to a mile and a quarter - she hasn't run a mile and a quarter since the Musidora (last year) - so obviously it was a super run and she is a mile-and-a-half filly.
"But full marks to the winner, he is a very laid-back, good-looking horse and he did it well.
"But of course, we are giving 7lb and that tells. But it would tell, it is a four-year-old to a three-year-old.
"I remember what Lester (Piggott) said, the three-year-old has the edge in the Eclipse and the four-year-old in the King George."
Although Gosden is open to the idea of challenging the winner again, he believes that it is improbable.
"I wouldn't mind a crack at the winner again, but we're going back to a mile and a half. I don’t think you'll see him ever run a mile and a half - I would be very surprised," he added.