The two time Group One performer Chaldean was a good second at Royal Ascot in the St James's Palace Stakes behind Paddington to Aidan O'Brien and connections are eyeing up a rematch between the two at Glorious Goodwood.
Chaldean was fifth in a moderate novice on debut at Newbury, but it’s what he’s done since that matters. He’s won four on the bounce, including the Group Three Acomb Stakes at York, Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and then when last seen saw off Royal Scotsman, Nostrum and Aesop's Fables to take the Group One Dewhurst Stakes.
A horse with a superb pedigree being a well bred son of Frankel he has the world at his feet and having both form on good and soft ground he looks bulletproof in this field.
Looking to stake his claim ahead of the first Classic of the season at Newbury on debut this season he went off the odds against favourite for the Group Three Greenham Stakes but coming out of the stalls he jinked left and left Frankie Dettori on the floor.
Despite the unfortunate unshipping of the rider he galloped all the way to the line and it actually worked out as a stellar prep run ahead of the 2000 Guineas, as he went to take the second Group One of his career at Newmarket.
Looking for more black type glory at Royal Ascot he went off the 13/8 favourite for the Group One St James's Palace Stakes but was beaten by Irish 2000 Guineas winner Paddington.
Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon has stated that the next likely race for their three year old star will be a rematch with Paddington in the Group One Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
AIDAN O’BRIEN'S #RoyalAscot RECORD-BREAKER!
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2023
Paddington is brilliant in the St James’s Palace Stakes for Ryan Moore and gives Aidan O’Brien his 83rd Royal @Ascot winner! pic.twitter.com/pDWaFHMynT
(Credit ATR) He said: “He ran a great race, to be fair. The winner is obviously a very a good horse who is improving quickly and we were happy with our lad.
“We would have probably liked a lead. The early pace was pretty frenetic, I think Frankie just felt he couldn’t get a breather into him the whole way and it just cost him when he turned in.
“All told it was a nice run and we look forward to taking on the winner again some day.”
Aidan O’Brien selected the Sussex Stakes as an option for Paddington in the immediate aftermath of his Ascot triumph and Mahon also views the Group One contest as the “obvious” next race for Chaldean.
“That looks the next obvious target. Let’s see how he bounces out of it, Andrew said to me the next day he was in good shape but I haven’t really touched base with him since,” Mahon added.
“He’s not in the Prix Jean Prat, but that could be an option if Andrew thought it was the right thing to do.
“He’s a top-class horse. I suppose it’s more disappointing when you’re beaten if you have an unbeaten record, but luckily we were beaten in our maiden and Frankie fell off him in the Greenham at Newbury!
“We know he’s still a nice horse to look forward to for the rest of the year.”