Paddington extends win streak in Sussex

Odds-on favorite Paddington slogged his way to another victory, his seventh in eight career starts, in the one-mile Sussex (G1) at Goodwood on Wednesday.

The Sussex, a Breeders’ Cup Challenge prep for the Mile (G1) at Santa Anita in November, was contested over a rain-saturated course officially labeled soft. Under Ryan Moore, Paddington grabbed the lead from the start and turned back multiple challenges to win by 1 1/2 lengths from French raider Facteur Cheval.

Charyn, the longest shot in the field ran third. Soft-turf specialist Aldaary failed to pick up in finishing fourth, while the filly Inspiral, who was the most logical choice to possibly topple Paddington, was undone by the footing and finished last of five after making a brief challenge to the winner after entering the straight.

“I did not want to be making the running, but I knew no one was going to go, and we went very steady early on,” Moore said. “I was thinking I would get it all my own way and get to the fence [the stands’ side rail after entering the straight] but Frankie [Dettori] rightly made me work for it – you could see where Inspiral ended up finishing because of that. He fought her off and then he had a bit of a trial in the last furlong. He thrives on his racing, he just loves the sport and loves his job.”