'It's abnormal improvement' - Paddington thriving before Sussex showdown says Aidan O'Brien

Aidan O'Brien has described the improvement of Paddington as "abnormal" and reports the odds-on favourite for the Qatar Sussex Stakes to be thriving before Glorious Goodwood where he will seek a fourth successive Group 1 victory. 

Paddington is 8-15 to provide O'Brien with a sixth win in next Wednesday's £1m feature and follow up top-level successes in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace and Eclipse.

Less than four months after the son of Siyouni made a winning reappearance in a Naas handicap off a mark of 97, he became the second-highest rated horse in training when upped to 125 after his Sandown success and O'Brien does not believe he has finished improving yet.

"He's made unusual progress from run to run," said O'Brien. "It's very unusual the way he has improved and physically he has done very well from run to run. Ryan [Moore] loves him and is always full of praise for him. It's abnormal improvement. He just thrives on his racing, he's putting on weight after every run. He was much heavier going into the Eclipse than he was at Ascot. That's very unusual."

Paddington could emulate O'Brien's first winner of the Sussex Stakes, Giant's Causeway, who took the St James's Palace and Eclipse before successfully dropping back to a mile during his three-year-old season in 2000. 

O'Brien said: "It's a very prestigious race and it's stood the test of time. For a horse going to stud, the Sussex is very prestigious. It's the first time for the three-year-olds to take on the older milers which makes it even more interesting. Ryan always thought he had a lot of pace and that a mile was never a problem for him. We always felt this race would suit.

"Obviously he won his first two starts this year on soft ground so we weren't really sure about going to the Curragh for the Irish Guineas on fast ground, but he handled that no problem. It was the same at Ascot. He's very versatile and he's just a very natural, very quick horse. He's very straightforward. We think he's a little bit different and the way he's progressing from run to run is very different."

Of Paddington's head carriage, which drew significant attention when getting the better of Emily Upjohn during the closing stages of the Eclipse, O'Brien said: "That's just the way he carries himself.

"Every horse is different. Every human being is different too, we all carry ourselves differently. He's very aggressive and when you ask him to quicken he really grabs hold of the bit and does really quicken. It's very unusual, but I suppose everything he is doing is very unusual. He looks a very special horse."

Emily Dickinson: Curragh Cup winner will aim to follow up at Glorious GoodwoodCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

O'Brien will also have Group-race interest on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood in Emily Dickinson, who landed the Group 2 Curragh Cup on Saturday and is 6-1 to make it a quick double in next Tuesday's Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.

O'Brien said: "She came out of the Curragh very well. Ryan was very happy with her, he felt she won easy. She loves an ease in the ground. She comes off other ground perfectly, it doesn't bother her, but she's much better with an ease in the ground. It hinders other horses, but it definitely doesn't hinder her. 

O'Brien indicated that neither The Antarctic or Aesop's Fables will run in the King George Qatar Stakes after suffering setbacks since their last run, while Lennox Stakes entry Alfred Munnings is likely to be sold to Hong Kong.

O'Brien issued an update on Ballydoyle jockey Wayne Lordan, who has been sidelined since being unseated by the fatally injured San Antonio in the Irish Derby. O'Brien said: "It's just going to take a little bit of time and we can't wait to have him back. We're in daily contact with him. We're probably looking towards the end of the season."

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