Paddington stars, Buick on title charge and another Moore masterclass - three things we learned this week

All eyes were on Sandown at the weekend for an Eclipse that managed to better its billing with a fantastic tussle between Paddington and Emily Upjohn. Here are three things we learned from another busy week . . .

Paddington fast becoming one of O’Brien’s most unique stars

Paddington proved at Royal Ascot he was the best three-year-old miler. At Sandown on Saturday he may have proved he is the best three-year-old in training at any distance. 

Stepping up in trip and made to work hard by the dogged Emily Upjohn, Paddington displayed his stamina for a mile and a quarter – no mean feat when climbing Sandown’s steep rise toward the finishing line – while suggesting a mile and a half would be far from beyond him

The ambitious campaigning by 'the lads' at Coolmore and master trainer Aidan O’Brien should allow us plenty more opportunities to see Paddington, but the most difficult thing will be narrowing down the vast amount of options now open to him.

Paddington holds off Emily Upjohn in the Coral-EclipseCredit: Mark Cranham

Like strolling through Netflix, there are so many choices to pick from.

The Sussex Stakes and a drop back to a mile appears to be the most likely next destination, but he would surely be favourite for a Juddmonte International or Irish Champion Stakes, and there were plenty of commentators advocating a further step up in trip for targets like the King George or Arc.

Giant's Causeway managed to win the first three of those races mentioned above, and Michael Tabor on Saturday proclaimed Paddington to be better than the Iron Horse, so hopefully racing fans get plenty more chances to see Ballydoyle's latest superstar before he is packed off for a stud career.

His pace perhaps makes it more likely he will stay at between a mile and ten furlongs, but given where he came from at the start of the season in a Naas handicap, expect the unexpected when it comes to Paddington.

Buick is on fire – and in pole position again for second jockeys’ title

He may have been just touched off in a thrilling Coral-Eclipse, but that has done little to dent the building momentum of champion jockey William Buick, who has rode 16 winners in the last 12 days.

Before this latest spree, William Hill had gone odds against him retaining his crown.

William Buick rides Equality to victory at Sandown on SaturdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Two weeks ago, and after a quiet Royal Ascot for Buick and his main supporter Charlie Appleby, Joe Fanning was the unlikely leader in the jockeys’ title race, with Oisin Murphy in a hot patch on his quest to regain the crown he lost while serving his lengthy suspension for Covid and alcohol breaches.

However, Buick has hit back spectacularly with wins for nine different trainers in the last fortnight, the majority for Appleby despite the season's major prizes so far eluding the Godolphin powerhouse.

He now holds the advantage from Murphy, who was riding in the United States and France at the weekend, although the pendulum seems certain to swing back and forth.

We could be in for a repeat of the 2021 battle between the pair, when the title went to the wire, and they could both easily continue to dominate for the next decade.

Don’t let Moore have an easy lead up front

This should not have been something people needed to learn, but a few jockeys in the last race at Sandown on Saturday may have returned to the weighing room rather sheepishly after allowing Moore to steal the 1m2f handicap from the front.

Within a few furlongs Moore had built up a huge lead on Lisboa, a rare runner in Coolmore's Derrick Smith silks for the Gosdens, who had been slightly keen early on and was wearing first-time blinkers.

Ryan Moore: having another fantastic seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

But of course there was little chance arguably the world's finest jockey had judged the pace wrong, and the pair duly cantered up the straight for a wide-margin win having never been troubled by a rival.

The other riders would no doubt do things differently given another shot.

Read more . . .

'It's not really a surprise' - 40-1 Good Guess claims Prix Jean Prat glory as Chaldean disappoints  

Beverley lightning strike: 'There was a guy on a stool that lifted off the ground and levitated forward with him on it'  

Subscribe today and get set for a sizzling summer of Flat racing with 50% off your first three months 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.