'This horse could win the Arc' - Paddington's owners given food for thought

As heavy rain poured from a dreary grey sky and a gusty wind swept across Goodwood, a courageous steel band kicked off its rendition of Love Me Tender. In the circumstances, this was unexpected. The same could not be said of Paddington's victory in the Qatar Sussex Stakes. What came as a surprise were the subsequent words of Ryan Moore.

Paddington did what Paddington does, mopping up another major prize and fuelling the feeling we are in the presence of an exceptionally special thoroughbred. This time he was back to a mile and competing in appalling conditions. Four consecutive Group 1s have been landed so far. Expect to see him next at York. Do not rule out seeing him at Longchamp on October's first Sunday. 

During the celebratory scenes that followed the Coral-Eclipse, Michael Tabor wondered aloud whether the son of Siyouni might even be worth considering for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. It seemed an audacious aspiration for a horse who was provisionally booked for another mile mission at Goodwood, yet nor was it ridiculously fanciful. We now know it is both plausible and possible.