Royal Ascot 2023 kicked off in familiar fashion with Aidan O’Brien’s all-conquering team notching up a first day double, following up River Tiber’s win in the Coventry Stakes by taking the day’s feature event, the St James’s Palace Stakes.
The Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes was billed as the decider between the English and Irish 2,000 Guineas winners. In the end it was the Irish Guineas form that proved strongest, with the rapidly improving Paddington storming home to record decisive victory over the English Guineas winner Chaldean who was three and three-quarter lengths back in second.
Aidan O’Brien had made no secret of the regard he had for Paddington, outlining bold plans for the horse when he won his maiden last October, “I don’t know if he’ll run again this season, there’s probably not anywhere for him. He could start in a Guineas or Derby trial next year, possibly a Guineas trial and we’ll see then.”
In the end he changed tack and took advantage of a lenient handicap mark, starting the horse’s season off in a Naas handicap. Paddington then quickly progressed, via the Listed Tetrarch Stakes, to that win in the Curragh classic and he’s now put himself firmly at the head of the three year old mile division.
Plans remain fluid but O’Brien mentioned the Sussex Stakes as a possible target while suggesting that a longer trip may also be on the cards. “He’s an incredible horse. He’s very exciting, isn’t he? John [Magnier] said to me that this horse would get further than a mile if you wanted him to, no problem.
Earlier on the card the Australian challengers for the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes didn’t make an impact, Coolangatta finishing in 11th after briefly challenging while Cannonball finished last of the 17 runners. Coolangatta had reared in the stalls however, while Cannonball received a hefty bump shortly after the start, neither event helping their respective causes.
The crowds who came to cheer Frankie Dettori on day one of his final Royal Ascot meeting were disappointed. The flamboyant Italian had an impressive book of rides but couldn’t hit the winner’s enclosure, finishing in the runners-up berth on three occasions. To add insult to injury, he was given a nine day ban for careless riding which means he will miss the Eclipse Stakes later in the summer.
Frankie will be hoping things improve as the week goes on but for Aidan O’Brien’s powerful team it’ll surely be a case of business as usual following a fantastic opening day for the yard, a day in which Paddington’s success saw O’Brien become the winning-most trainer in Royal Ascot history.
