'He’ll be chock-a-block pretty quickly' - Paddington to shuttle to Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand

Paddington, one of the most talked about horses during last year’s northern hemisphere season, will shuttle to Windsor Park in New Zealand in 2024, where he will stand for an introductory fee of NZ$35,000 (£16,700/€19,500). 

Windsor Park’s Rodney Schick told ANZ Bloodstock News he was delighted to welcome a horse of Paddington’s calibre to the stud and believed the stallion would not only be a good asset to the farm but the New Zealand breeding industry as a whole.  

“We’ve obviously had an amazing relationship with Coolmore over a long period of time, right back to Tale Of The Cat and Montjeu," he said. "I'm just very excited to have a high-class galloper with a lovely pedigree. It's not just good for Windsor Park but it’s good for New Zealand as well. 

“I went to see Siyouni probably six years ago when he wasn’t as famous as he is now. He's just a cracker of a stallion. When I came back from France I said I thought he was one of the best looking stallions I’d seen. He’s [Paddington] as good looking as his old man.”

Paddington strides clear in the Sussex StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Trained throughout his ten-start career by Aidan O’Brien, Paddington got off the mark on his second run as a two-year-old over seven furlongs at the Curragh in October 2022. 

Paddington kicked off his Classic year with a low-key victory in the 7f Madrid Handicap at Naas, which proved the catalyst for a six-start unbeaten run which included four Group 1 victories. 

Having broken through at stakes level for the first time in the Listed Tetrarch Stakes in May 2023, Paddington had no issues with ahuge leap in class, winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas on his next start, earning him a trip to Royal Ascot.

Paddington once again showed his superstar credentials when defeating Chaldean, winner of the English 2,000 Guineas, by a comprehensive three and three-quarter lengths in the stallion-making St James’s Palace Stakes at the prestigious meeting. 

He followed up that performance with a victory when pitted against older horses in the Coral-Eclipse, beating Group 1 winner Emily Upjohn by half a length, with subsequent Caulfield Cup runner-up West Wind Blows finishing third, while dual Australian Group 1 winner Dubai Honour came home in fourth.

His fourth and final elite-level triumph came when dropping back in trip to take the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, where he defeated French raider Facteur Cheval by a length and a half.

At the conclusion of his racing career, Paddington was retired to stand at Coolmore’s base in Ireland, where he is covering his first book of mares at a fee of €55,000. 

Schick was confident the NZ$35,000 covering fee he will command in New Zealand will ensure the colt is popular with breeders throughout the country. 

Paddington beating Emily Upjohn in the EclipseCredit: Alan Crowhurst

“He’s unbelievable value," he said. "I think the one thing about getting these horses over is that we’ve always been able to get good numbers to the Coolmore stallions. They’re great to deal with, they want to see the profit at the backend when they’re proven. 

“We’re very fortunate to be able to stand him at that fee and he’s going to be well sought after at that fee. I can’t imagine that we’ll be advertising for a long time. He’ll be choc-a-bloc pretty quickly.”

Bred by Dayton Investments, the son of Siyouni was bought by the Broadhurst Agency and Coolmore’s MV Magnier from the Monceaux draft for €420,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale in 2021. 

Paddington is out of the Listed-winning Montjeu mare Modern Eagle, making him a half-brother to the stakes-placed winner Masterpiece. Modern Eagle is a half-sister to stakes winner Mighty Blue. 

Siyouni: "He’s [Paddington] as good looking as his old man"Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

Schick said he had Paddington on his ‘dream board’ of stallions and would be heading to the northern hemisphere next month to inspect his new acquisition.  

“I only ever stand stallions I want to stand and he was on my list for a very long time," he said. "I have a dream board and he was on the dream board. 

“I spoke to Tom [Magnier] multiple times and I think they were pretty keen for him to go to Australia, but in the end I managed to secure him down here. I know Tom and his family will support him in New Zealand.

“The great thing about Coolmore is that they come and buy them when they’re yearlings. If you breed to them, you know that they’re one of the farms that will come and buy the progeny of their stallions. They always back their stallions.

“I'm heading up there next month. Timing wise I couldn’t get up there earlier, but obviously he’s a high-priced yearling. I have had a bit to do with the sireline. 

“When I was young I was lucky enough to spend a bit of time with Nureyev and then I got to see Pivotal in England and Siyouni in France. We obviously had Montjeu and I’d seen Sadler’s Wells, so the genetics are pretty good looking and there’s no weak links in his pedigree.

“He is the right sireline.”

Paddington will take up stud duties in New Zealand alongside two former O’Brien-trained horses Circus Maximus and Armory. 

Sioyuni is also represented in the southern hemisphere by his other multiple Group 1-winning St Mark's Basilica, who stands at Coolmore’s Hunter Valley base. 

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