Cover image courtesy of Racingfotos
On the back of outstanding success over the past few decades, the Windsor Park Stud/Coolmore Stud partnership continues to thrive and New Zealand breeders stand to benefit from such a great horse as Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) heading to their shores.
Such as they did when High Chaparral (Ire) and Montjeu (Ire) stood at the Cambridge nursery; from that base siring the likes of So You Think (NZ) and Tavistock (NZ).
Not only does access to such stallions afford breeders the opportunity to produce such high-class gallopers, but it leads to long term benefits as shown by those two horses, themselves outstanding stallions.
And successful broodmare sires; So You Think the damsire of G1 Golden Slipper S. heroine Fireburn (Rebel Dane) whilst Tavistock's (NZ) daughter Lilahjay (NZ) produced Mr Brightside (NZ).
The G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère winner Siyouni (Fr) is already proving his value to local breeders as the sire of four Australian stakes winners including the G1 Northerly S. winner Amelia's Jewel and his first commercial son to stand in Australia - St Mark's Basilica (Fr) - has served two strong books of mares at Coolmore.
Siyouni (Fr) | Standing at Haras de Bonneval, France
Standing in 2024 at a fee of €200,000 (AU$330,100), Siyouni had yearlings sell for up to $3.6 million last year.
So now it is New Zealand's turn to access the Siyouni genes and they don't come much better credentialled than Paddington, a horse who went from great to even greater in such a short time span, recording four Group 1 victories within 68 days.
A brilliant performer
Bred in Ireland by Dayton Investments, Paddington - whose name secured him plenty of attention amongst UK racegoers - was purchased by Coolmore for €420,000 (AU$693,100) at Arqana.
Paddington (GB) as a yearling | Image courtesy of Arqana
His 8l fifth in a maiden at Ascot in September 2022 was hardly an auspicious debut but it was all up from there, the bay at his next outing recording a dominant 5l victory at The Curragh, trainer Aidan O'Brien telling the press that he had been green at debut had “always shown a bit of class.”
The trainer was not getting too carried away after Paddington's first up win in a handicap at Naas the following March, saying that he was “very happy with him,” hinting that bigger things were to come.
After Paddington was able to rise in class when taking out the Listed Tetrarch S. at his next start, O'Brien declared himself to be “delighted” with the young horse. And he was all the more so when he put 2l on his rivals in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas.
“He was always a beautiful mover but you are never sure until they do it,” he told the press, describing Paddington as “a very exciting horse - a fine, big, good-looking horse who is maturing very well.”
From there it was off to Royal Ascot where Paddington won the G1 St James's Palace Stakes by 3.75l, again impressing O'Brien who noted that “he is able to quicken very well - that is the big thing, it is what makes good horses great.”
“He (Paddington) is able to quicken very well - that is the big thing, it is what makes good horses great.” - Aidan O'Brien
“He has a lot of class,” jockey Ryan Moore said - “he took me there quite easy and when he put his foot down, he found plenty.. he is a proper horse.”
It was from that time that Paddington began to stamp himself as a rather different horse with the stable reporting that instead of losing - or maintaining weight - he was putting it on.
“It is strange for a horse to do that,” O'Brien said - “he's been progressing with every run and he's getting heavier, stronger, quicker and more confident. He came out of Ascot in an unusually good way - it is surprising what he is doing.”
“He's (Paddington) been progressing with every run and he's getting heavier, stronger, quicker and more confident.” - Aidan O'Brien
Emerging victorious from a memorable battle with Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Eclipse S., Paddington did not let demanding going stop him with another easy win at his next start in the G1 Sussex S.
A win which prompted Moore to report to press that “it is a hard thing to say but he gives you the feel that he’s as good a horse as I've ridden - he is exceptional.”
“It is a hard thing to say but he (Paddington) gives you the feel that he’s as good a horse as I've ridden - he is exceptional.” - Ryan Moore
And it was an exceptional record, Paddington the first horse to win those particular four Group 1 races.
The Sussex did however take its toll, Paddington third of four as favourite in the G1 Juddmonte International S. with Moore noting that he felt a bit flat. He was out of the placings in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at his next a couple of months later - racing too keenly fresh.
Aidan O'Brien | Image courtesy of Emma Berry
A trip to the Breeders' Cup meeting was considered but ruled out in October when connections announced that the horse was suffering from the effects of an infection.
And so Paddington retired - as the winner of seven (four in Group 1 company) of his 10 starts to Coolmore's Irish base at a fee of €55,000 (AU$90,700) whilst New Zealand breeders are able to access him at NZ$35,000 (plus GST).
Schick thrilled for Paddington to join the Circus
Bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Nureyev (USA) with a strain of that great stallion's legendary three-quarter brother Sadler's Wells (USA) and his close relation Lt Stevens (USA), Paddington has plenty of depth to his pedigree.
Being a member of the Nureyev sireline is something that gives Windsor Park Stud's Rodney Schick something nice to recall - the fact that he got to spend time with that outstanding son of Northern Dancer (Can).
“I was working for his farrier when I was in the United States - he was an awesome horse.
“I was also lucky enough to see both Siyouni and his sire Pivotal race and I think Paddington has thrown very nicely to the sireline.
“I was also lucky enough to see both Siyouni and his sire Pivotal race and I think Paddington has thrown very nicely to the sireline.” - Rodney Schick
Described by Coolmore's Tom Magnier as a horse who “really just ticks every box - we believe that he is the most exciting horse to go to stud in New Zealand in a very long time. We are delighted to continue our great relationship with Windsor Park Stud.”
Rodney Schick | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
As is the stud's Rodney Schick who admitted to being “very, very excited!”
“We had a launch day for him here today and are confident that he is going to attract a good book of mares as he has done in the Northern Hemisphere.”
“He is a history-making horse, exceptional from the beginning being a top-drawer yearling and he was a champion miler by an exceptional stallion.”
Joining fellow Coolmore multiple Group 1 winner Circus Maximus (Ire) on the Windsor Park roster, Paddington is an exciting horse not only in regards to ability and performance but also on pedigree.
One of the 74 stakes winners and 10 Group 1 winners for his Haras de Bonneval-based sire, Paddington is out of the Listed winner Modern Eagle (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Paddington (GB)
Her dam Millionaia (Ire) (Peintre Celebre {GB}) raced just four times but showed class running second in the G1 French Oaks. Also the dam of the Listed winner Mighty Blue (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}), she is a daughter of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Moonlight Dance (USA) (Alysheba {USA}) whose dam Madelia (Fr) (Caro {Ire}) was one of Daniel Wildenstein's “what if” horses.
Four starts, four wins including the G1 French 1000 Guineas, the Prix Saint-Alary and the French Oaks; in the latter breaking a bone in her foot defeating Trillion (USA) (Hail To Reason {USA}) whose subsequent Group 1 efforts would frank that form.
Madelia produced five winners including the G2 Dante S. winner Claude Monet (USA). She is also ancestress of the Group 1 winners Aventura (Jpn) (Jungle Pocket {Jpn}), Alsacia (Per) (Koko Mambo {Per}), Vela Azul (Jpn) (Eishin Flash {Jpn}) and Veuve Fourny (Brz) (Christine's Outlaw {USA}).
Ancestress of this prolific family is the influential Point Duty (GB) (Grand Parade {GB}) who has 375 stakes winners amongst her descendants - Paddington one of the 50 Group 1 winners.
And several of those horses have enjoyed successful stud careers, namely Ringaro (USA), Amerigo (GB), Mount Hagen (Fr), Ruantallan (GB), Horse Chestnut (SAF) and Hornbeam (GB) who appears in local pedigrees as the dam sire of Lunchtime (GB).
Paddington's first two damsires - Montjeu (Ire) and Peintre Celebre (USA) - won the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe whilst his third dam sire is the G1 Kentucky Derby hero Alysheba (USA).
