YOU know when Ryan Moore is grinning from ear to ear and cracking jokes that you’ve witnessed something extraordinary.
The world’s best jockey is a man of few words, but every now and then a horse will make him as chipper as Charlie Chaplin.
Paddington is one of those cherished few.
It wasn’t so much his win in the Sussex Stakes that bought a beaming smile out of the rider – and all the Coolmore ‘lads’ for that matter – it was the way he won it.
Because if ever a horse had an excuse to chuck in the towel and say, ‘not today, guv’, it was now.
If you sent a duck out in the sort of weather that lashed Goodwood on Wednesday you’d be accused of animal cruelty, for goodness sake.
OFFERS OF THE DAY
Tote: Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets – CLAIM HERE
Bet UK: Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets and Bonuses – CLAIM HERE
William Hill: Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets (MOBILE ONLY)* – CLAIM HERE
Betfair: Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets – CLAIM HERE
Paddy Power: Bet £20 and get it back as Cash if it Loses – CLAIM HERE
Sky Bet: Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Horse Racing Bets – CLAIM HERE
Tote: New customers online only. £/€10 min stake (if EW then min £/€10 Win + £/€10 Place). Receive £/€30 Tote Credit when first bet settles. £/€10 redeemable against win/place racing bets, £/€10 redeemable against Exotics bets and £/€10 redeemable against World Pool bets. Racing and Exotics credit expires after 7 days. World Pool credit expires 18:10 on 24/06.23. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool bet added to the bet-slip. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleaware.org.
Bet UK: New customers only. 7 days to deposit and stake £10 minimum bet at odds of 1.5 or greater to qualify. Max 3x £10 free bets credited on bet settlement. Free bets must be used on 4 or more selections with selection odds of 1.3 or greater. Free bets non-withdrawable and stake not returned with winnings. 7 day expiry. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
William Hill – 18+. Pla18+. Play Safe. When you sign-up via Mobile using promo code N40 and place a bet of £10/€10 or more we will give you 4x £10/€10 free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. begambleaware.org
Betfair – New Customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £30 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly 18+ begambleaware.org
Paddy Power: New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using Cards or Apple Pay will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Paddy's Rewards Club: Get a £10 free bet when you place 5x bets of £10+. T&Cs apply. 18+ Begambleaware.org
Sky Bet: 18+NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. FIRST SINGLE & E/W BET ONLY ODDS OF 1/1 OR GREATER. 3 X £10 BET TOKENS. FREE BET STAKES NOT INCLUDED IN RETURNS. FREE BETS ONLY REDEEMABLE ON HORSE RACING. FREE BETS ARE NON WITHDRAWABLE. NO FREE BET EXPIRY. ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND FURTHER T&CS APPLY. 18+ Begambleaware.org
It was grim down south and the ground was bordering on heavy by the time the £1 million feature of the meeting came around… lightyears away from Paddington’s ideal surface.
Then, having towed the field along to halfway, Moore must’ve been having kittens when Frankie Dettori rushed big rival Inspiral up on his inside to try and take him out of his comfort zone.
Dettori knew if he was to cause an upset he was going to have to do something unexpected, but as a result the ‘big two’ were going flat out a long way from home.
That lung-busting battle would have finished a lot of horses off – and Inspiral paid the price by finishing out the back of the telly.
But Paddington didn’t just keep going, he actually pulled away again as French challenger Facteur Cheval tried to cause an almighty shock.
For all Aidan O’Brien’s success, only a handful of runners from Ballydoyle over the years have been truly adored by the British public.
Most read in Horse Racing
Legendary horse dies at 31 as trainer salutes 'marvellous' European record-holder
Frankie Dettori one of FIVE jockeys questioned over 'weird' Goodwood race
Frankie Dettori sets new date for last ever ride in money-spinning finale
Jockey hit with whopping 20-DAY ban and £10,000 fine for winning ride
Giant’s Causeway, the original iron horse, was one of them, globetrotting Highland Reel another.
But this lad has already developed a big following – maybe it’s his working class roots.
After all, he started his campaign in a handicap on a bleak March afternoon at Naas – not the typical starting point for a potential champion.
Since then he has become a winning machine, even though he races with a head carriage like someone peering over their neighbours' garden fence.
He’s even been compared to legendary sprinter Michael Johnson – who lowered world records like they were going out of fashion despite running as though he had a broomstick up his backside.
Whatever works – his jockey certainly couldn’t give two hoots.
Moore smiled: “This horse would win on six inches of snow.
“I was never worried about the ground, he is so tough and he really wants to do it for you.
“It’s a hard to compare, but the feel he gives me, he is probably as good a horse as I’ve ridden. I think he’s exceptional.
“We have thrown a lot at him and he has handled everything – you saw the damage it did to Inspiral trying to take him on.
“We got racing too far out and she was beaten two furlongs out. But he still had more in the tank at the line.”
The question now is, where next?
It appears this horse could win everything from the July Cup to the Cesarewitch, such is the depth of his talent.
O’Brien will let the dust settle before making a decision, but the Juddmonte International at York, for which he’s now 2-1 favourite, is the obvious choice.
He said: “He is thriving with his racing, every race he is getting heavier and putting on muscle which is unusual.
“Today was a tough race but knowing the horse he will probably take it with a smile on his face.”
There were plenty of happy faces earlier in the day, too, when Big Evs bagged the Group 3 Molecomb for popular trainer Mick Appleby.
The speedy colt attracted plenty of admiring glances after his win at Royal Ascot – and owner Paul Teasdale was offered an eye-watering £1 million for a 50% stake.
But the horse is named after his good pal Paul Evans, who sadly died earlier this year, and he is not for sale under any circumstances.
That’s good news for Appleby, who is now eyeing a potential crack at the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York in a few weeks.
He said: “He’s a very tough horse and he has really stuck his neck out to win today.
“He’s got an entry in the Gimcrack over six furlongs, but we are going to seriously think about supplementing him for the Nunthorpe.
Read More on The Sun
I’m a laundry expert – how to remove sun cream stains and why it’s SO hard
Big Brother legend Lisa Appleton now working as an Amazon delivery driver
“It’s great for the yard to have a horse of his calibre, we'll celebrate this one.”
Smiles all round, then, though none were bigger than merry man Moore's.
FREE BETS GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
Source: Read Full Article
