'Bringing him down for a Cox Plate would be tempting and very exciting' - surprise Australian option for superstar Paddington

Eclipse winner Paddington could be aimed at a valuable target abroad after Coolmore's Tom Magnier said connections were tempted to head to Australia for the A$5 million (£2.6m) Cox Plate.

The triple Group 1 winner was last seen fending off Emily Upjohn at Sandown and is poised to make his return at Goodwood in the Sussex Stakes on August 2, when he will bid for his seventh successive victory for Aidan O'Brien.

While the three-year-old holds entries for the Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, he also has the intriguing option of the Australian Group 1 race on October 28, which O'Brien last won in 2014 with Adelaide.

Magnier, who is principal of Coolmore's Australian operation, told RSN Racing And Sport: "We're going to be chatting about that over the next couple of days [bringing horses to Australia].

"When you look at Paddington, he is the best three-year-old in Europe. Obviously, we've got Auguste Rodin that won the Derby – he's a machine – but I was looking at Paddington and what he is doing is breathtaking. He is an absolute superstar.

"You'd have to think that if he lined up in a Cox Plate, he'd be very hard to beat. I'm not saying that that's going to happen, but we obviously hold Australian racing in very high regard and bringing a horse like Paddington down for a Cox Plate would be tempting and very exciting."

Paddington gets the better of Emily Upjohn in the Coral-EclipseCredit: Mark Cranham

Further temptation was added on Thursday after Moonee Valley Racing announced the Juddmonte International – for which Paddington is best-priced 4-1 – would become a "win and you're in" qualifier for the Cox Plate.

The York Group 1 on August 23 is one of three top races to guarantee a spot for the winner in the Cox Plate and a travel package will also be provided to encourage more international competition for the flagship event.

The contest will be the only European race to serve as a Cox Plate qualifier, while the Saratoga Derby and the Takarazuka Kinen – won this year by star Japanese runner Equinox – are also eligible for the scheme.

The new incentive adds to the Juddmonte International's global appeal, with the winner also receiving entry to the Breeders' Cup Classic and eligible for between £580,000 and £2.3 million in bonus prize-money should they finish in the top three in the Japan Cup in November.

The announcement follows last month's news that the Ebor Handicap, held three days after the Juddmonte International, will provide automatic entry to the Melbourne Cup in November.

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