'It's an extremely hot race' - Paddington and Inspiral head stellar Sussex Stakes line-up

If you put up £1 million and get the best three-year-old colt in Europe and the best older filly or mare in training, you probably feel you have just about achieved your aim, and the 2023 Qatar Sussex Stakes looks primed to deliver.

Paddington and Inspiral have three Group 1 victories apiece, with the first named having accumulated his hat-trick in a stunning run so far this term which has encompassed the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes and the Eclipse.

The regularity with which Paddington has been able to deliver top-class performances has earned him comparisons with one of Aidan O'Brien's most storied former trainees, the original 'Iron Horse' that was Giant's Causeway.

Paddington (left) won the Coral-Eclipse just 18 days after success at Royal AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Before his Group 1 spree Paddington had already run – and won – twice, in a Naas handicap and then the Listed Tetrarch Stakes, with his five wins coming at ever-diminishing intervals of 36, 26, 24 and 18 days. A gap of 25 days from his defeat of Emily Upjohn in the Eclipse to the Sussex continues his busy schedule, with O'Brien reporting the son of Siyouni to be thriving on his workload.

"He's done well since Sandown, although we haven't done a whole lot with him given it wasn't too long ago," O'Brien told the Racing Post. "He's a very well-balanced horse so we think he will handle Goodwood no problem."

With the forecast offering the promise of more rain overnight, O'Brien won't be one of those trainers fretting over how much clerk of the course Ed Arkell's rain gauge fills up.

"As regards the ground, he's won on all sorts of surfaces," said O'Brien. "It was heavy the first day he won this season at Naas and then soft in the Tetrarch before he moved on to some quicker ground in the Irish Guineas. So he seems quite versatile on that front and we've been very happy with him at home."

Inspiral aims to revive memories of midsummer highlights from 12 months ago

If Inspiral's Group 1 heroics date from a little further back than those of her Ballydoyle rival, they have been no less impressive, while her belated comeback in the Queen Anne was anything but a disappointment.

Cheveley Park's homebred daughter of Frankel proved herself the leader of her generation among the fillies at two and again at three, running up a trio of Group 1 wins in the 2021 Fillies' Mile, the 2022 Coronation Stakes and then a first win against the colts in the Prix Jacques le Marois.

In between the second and third of those successes she ran flat when second to Prosperous Voyage in the Falmouth Stakes, and the Gosden team drew the lesson that she ideally likes a bit of space between her runs.

That certainly looks to have been the thinking in waiting for Goodwood, after Inspiral put in a big effort on her seasonal reappearance in the Queen Anne Stakes, finding only Triple Time too strong.

"She ran a great race in the Queen Anne and this has been the plan since then," said joint-trainer Thady Gosden. "She's had a nice break and has been pleasing us in training at home. Obviously she's taking on Paddington, who is an exceptional three-year-colt, but we're expecting a good run."

Inspiral was slightly sluggishly into stride in both the QEII and the Queen Anne, something connections will hope does not become a regular habit going forward.

What they say

William Haggas, trainer of Aldaary
He'll like the ground – the softer the better for him. He's got a bit to find with the front two, but hopefully he'll run well. He was still a bit rusty last time but he's getting there so I'm hoping he'll run a good race.

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Jerome Reynier, trainer of Facteur Cheval
The rain won't bother him at all and he won his Group race on very deep ground last autumn, and perhaps his best career efforts have come with cut. That will help us a little and in a high-quality field of six you want as many things in your favour as possible. He's in good form with himself and all the lights are green for him to put in a good performance. Maxime [Guyon] won this race with Solow and although it's not always easy for a jockey first time on a horse, he's very straightforward. He needs to get him to relax and hopefully there will be a good pace to aid with that. There are two champions in the shape of Inspiral and Paddington and we go there as challengers hoping to play a part.

Roger Varian, trainer of Charyn
He's in great form and is a very solid horse. I made a mistake bringing him back to seven furlongs. But his run at Royal Ascot was very good – he was nearly second in the St James's Palace, and his run in the Irish Guineas behind Paddington was very good. He was fourth, but you could make a case that he might have been a bit closer. Those two runs in particular mark him out as being a smart colt. He's obviously going to need a career best to get on the podium, but he's drawn nicely and is a solid horse who will turn up and run very well. We always thought he wanted a bit of cut in the ground, but his two best runs this year have been on fast ground at the Curragh and at Ascot. If I could have my wish, the rain would stay away.

Read our Wednesday previews:

'He fell apart after his first race but is back on form now' - top trainers assess their Coral Handicap chances 

Will the draw prove key once again with a huge field lining up for the Group 3 Oak Tree? 

Can classy Kylian continue his progress and land a first victory in Group company? 

'Hopefully he can get his head in front' - Irish Derby fifth in action at Galway on Wednesday 

'I'm bursting to run him and he's never been in better form' - who is keen on their Galway Plate chances? 

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