Timeform ratings analysis | Paddington’s Coral-Eclipse win

Paddington has been rated 130p following his defeat of high-class filly Emily Upjohn in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday, a figure which identifies him as a top-class performer on Timeform’s scale.

Paddington reinforced his position as the leading three-year-old around – Ace Impact and Auguste Rodin are rated 125p – and his new Timeform rating marks him out as the top miler/middle-distance operator in Europe.

Only stablemate Kyprios (131), a star stayer currently on the sidelines following a setback, is rated higher in Europe, while the highest-rated horse in the world is Japanese superstar Equinox (132).

Paddington was registering his fifth success of the campaign and a third Group 1 in just six weeks when producing his best effort yet to beat Coronation Cup winner Emily Upjohn by half a length at Sandown (replay available below).

He proved fully at home over the trip on his first attempt at a mile and a quarter, seeing things out well to give connections plenty of options for the rest of the campaign.

He appears to be thriving on his racing and it will be fascinating to see how many Group 1s he can add to his tally this term. The legendary Sea The Stars sets the standard with six Group 1s in a season, while only nine horses trained in Europe in the last 30 years have won five Group 1s.

What Timeform said

Paddington progressed again, taking on his elders for the first time, making up into a top-class colt, one that seems to thrive on racing, this a third Group 1 in 6 weeks, fully at home over the extra 2f, opening up plenty of options as the summer goes on, though he may drop back to 1m for the Sussex Stakes next, à la Giant’s Causeway, likely to take the beating wherever he goes; broke well but soon restrained to track leader, travelled smoothly, led under 2f out, challenged soon after, kept on well final 1f, carried head slightly awkwardly but not flat out and always looked in control; this was his stable’s second win in the race in 3 years with a 3-y-o son of Siyouni, and this probably a more significant one than St Mark’s Basilica given he doesn’t have Galileo in his pedigree and is therefore an outcross to the myriad mares by that sire at Coolmore when his time comes to take up such duties.

Timeform’s highest-rated horses in Europe

131 Kyprios

130p Paddington

129 Hukum

129 Mostahdaf

129 Vadeni

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