TDN RISING STARS

October 13, 2022 - CURRAGH, Msw, EUR €16,500, 7.0F, .0000

Paddington (GB), c, 2, 2020 by Siyouni (Fr)

1st Dam: Modern Eagle (Ger) (SW-Fr), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Millionaia (Ire), by Peintre Celebre
3rd Dam: Moonlight Dance, by Alysheba

Owner: Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg, Brant
Breeder: Dayton Investments, Ltd. (GB)
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Aidan O'Brien trainee Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}-Modern Eagle {Ger}, by Montjeu {Ire}) failed to land a telling blow over seven furlongs at Ascot in his Sept. 2 debut last time, but made light work of Thursday's Bill Hanlon Memorial Irish EBF Maiden over the same distance at the Curragh to earn a 'TDN Rising Star' with a taking five-length breakthrough at the Co. Kildare venue.

Having already made a splash as the joint-second highest-priced lot when realising EUR420,000 at last year's Arqana October sale, the 16-5 favourite broke smartly and stalked the pace set by stablemate Carracci (Quality Road) through halfway. Tanking to the front approaching the quarter-mile marker, he quickened in stylish fashion to go clear entering the final furlong and kept on powerfully in the latter stages to easily outclass Rochester Mike (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by five lengths.

"I'm delighted with him," O'Brien said. "We were disappointed with him in Ascot, where he was very green, so we gave him a bit of time. He's a horse that always showed a little bit of class. If the [G3] Killavullan was another week later he could have come back [for one more run this year]. He could start [next season] in a [2000] Guineas trial and then we'll see with him."