ONLY in the world of horse racing could Paddington meet a character from a Marx Brothers film.
But Saturday’s feature, likely tactical, Group 1 battle at Sandown is no comedy day at the races!
Paddington, fabulously named after the children’s character that first appeared in books in the late 1950s, has been a huge improver this term.
Today he faces older horses for the first time as his trainer Aidan O’Brien tries to land a seventh Coral-Eclipse.
The Classic hero faces just three rivals with Emily Upjohn, who gets her tag from Margaret Dumont’s 1937 Marx Brothers romp ‘A Day At The Races’, joined by Dubai Honour and West Wind Blows.
The Coral-Eclipse often struggles for numbers but while that is not ideal for punters watching on the main ITV network, it sets up a fascinating plotted event for racing fans to try and get to grips with on a purist level.
In simple terms, Paddington steps up in trip and Emily Upjohn goes the other way, so immediately backers are faced with a dilemma.
Paddington is extraordinary, and when I asked O’Brien at Royal Ascot, he could not remember another horse he had trained that had gone from a handicapper to a Group 1 hero.
Of course, for most handlers that would be very unlikely in any case, but remember the master of Ballydoyle has just banged in his 100th Classic. He’s no normal guy.
It was at Naas in March that Paddington landed a premier handicap off a mark of 97.
Since then the son of Siyouni has taken a Listed race at the Curragh before the Irish 2,000 at the same track and then the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He comes into the Eclipse rated 123.
Paddington is related to Masterpiece, who stayed a mile and a half, and his dam Modern Eagle won over nearly a mile and three-quarters in France.
If he has been masquerading as a miler but has always needed further — something easily argued on breeding — he’ll be hard to stop getting weight as a three-year-old.
But what does Ryan Moore do early in the race?
Most believe West Wind Blows, far from a mug for the excellent Simon and Ed Crisford and a Group 3 winner at Longchamp in June, will go to the front under Jamie Spencer.
Paddington, the mount of Moore, dwelt at the start for his Irish Guineas victory, but he has always raced closed to the pace. Moore could sit second or think to himself he’s on the animal with the best turn of speed. Only time will tell.
Incidentally, Paddington is not the first brilliantly named horse by the Coolmore team.
Or I say team, because the brains behind the idea is Sue Magnier, wife of the chief John.
Their son Tom told me: “Mum named both Duke Of Marmalade and Paddington.
“She thought it was a special name and when Aidan thought a fair bit of him early on Mum decided on Paddington. Mum does a stellar job and puts so much work into it each year. She comes up with great names.” Yes she does.
The positioning of Emily Upjohn will also be key.
The daughter of Sea The Stars, an Eclipse hero in 2009.
She was an unlucky second in the 2022 Oaks at Epsom over a mile and a half and has stayed at that trip since, banging in a Qipco Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot and the Coronation Cup last time.
William Buick replaces the suspended Frankie Dettori but what will go through the mind of the former?
Clearly Emily Upjohn has stamina, but it was a turn of pace that was her weapon at Epsom. Does Emily Upjohn pounce on Paddington or vice versa?
Dubai Honour deserves a mention as well. The gut feeling is he will come up short for William Haggas, but he won two Group 1s in Australia earlier in the year and is admirable. He deserves his place.
I’m in the Emily Upjohn camp, but it’s hard to be confident.
Paddington Bear once said: “It’s a very important name — I don’t expect there are many bears in the world called Paddington!”
Even less Eclipse heroes. That might change today.
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