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| Sumita Pawar |
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Royal Ascot winner Paddington might be the chosen horse for Aidan O'Brien to compete against Emily Upjohn and Anmaat in the upcoming Coral Eclipse race.
O'Brien has not yet confirmed the race as the next target for the runaway St James's Palace winner. Among his ten entries are Luxembourg, who was the runner-up in the Prince of Wales's race, and Auguste Rodin, who is the favourite for the Irish Derby.
Coral spokesman David Stevens said, "Following his Ascot victory, connections seemed to suggest the Sussex Stakes would be Paddington's next target, but we've seen some interesting support for him.
"Although nothing has been said publicly about his possible participation at Sandown, Ballydoyle and Coolmore did campaign Giant's Causeway to win the St James's Palace, Coral-Eclipse and Sussex Stakes in the same season, and if Paddington has a similar constitution to the 'Iron Horse', we could well see him line up next weekend."
Paddington's Dominance Revives Racing
Paddington's victory at St James's Palace, with a lead of three and three-quarter lengths over Chaldean, showcased his improved form. This win marked his fifth consecutive victory and second top-level prize, following his triumph in the Irish 2,000 Guineas in May. Additionally, his performance revitalized a race that was on the verge of disarray.
Desert Crown, last year's Derby winner, is still recovering and it is uncertain if he will be able to recover in time from the small setback that prevented him from participating in Royal Ascot. Philip Robinson, the racing manager, confirmed on Wednesday that Saeed Suhail's colt has missed "ten days to two weeks' worth of work".
He became part of a growing list of horses that are unlikely to participate in the race, including stablemate Bay Bridge. Joint owner James Wigan expressed doubt about his participation at Sandown.
Mostahdaf, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes hero, also has an entry for the race. However, his connections are anticipated to allow him sufficient time to recuperate for the Juddmonte International at York in August. On the same day, The Foxes, the winner of the Dante Stakes and fifth-place finisher in the Derby, will compete in the Belmont Derby Invitational.
Explaining why they favoured America rather than Sandown, King Power's racing manager Alastair Donald said, "Andrew [Balding, trainer] wants to take on the 3YO and not the older ones, but I'm sure he'll be competing in top Group 1 races over the next few years.
According to Donald, The Foxes struggled to handle the 1m4f distance at Epsom. He believes the horse performs better in races that are 1m2f or shorter.
"He's definitely a Group One horse. I'd be surprised if he's not the favourite for this race. It was either this or the Eclipse and, although the races are similar in value, we'll go off near favourite compared to something like 12-1 at Sandown."
He added, "He stumbled a bit and got a little bit further back than ideal, but he came with a good run even though it didn't make too much of a difference to the result.
"He didn't stay and we hoped he would, but he looks very much like being a ten-furlong horse. He was last off the bridle in the Craven, so we might even consider dropping him back over a mile at some point.
"He travels and has a turn of foot, so if he can win a top race at a mile it enhances any stallion value he could potentially have."