[1] He was sired by the 2,000 Guineas runner-up Sterling out of Casuistry, an undistinguished racehorse[2] who had been sold cheaply at the end of her racing career by Lord Rosebery.

Casuistry became an important broodmare, being the direct female ancestor of notable thoroughbreds such as Humorist, Royal Palace and Spend a Buck.

[7] By the time he appeared on a racecourse his performances in training and purchase price meant that he had acquired a considerable reputation[8] and, despite making his debut in the Middle Park Plate, the season's most important races for two-year-olds,[9] he was made joint-favourite at odds of 9/4.

The inexperienced Casuistry colt showed "a little temper"[10] at the start and, after racing with the leaders in the early stages, he became unbalanced and lost his position on the downhill section of the course.

[21] Melton made gradual but relentless progress to catch Paradox "in the last stride" and win by a head in a "desperate finish",[22] with Archer riding one of his strongest races.

Eleven days after his defeat at Epsom he was sent to Longchamp to contest the Grand Prix de Paris, the most important and valuable[25] race in France.

[26] His success was greeted enthusiastically by the travelling British supporters but there were hisses and hoots from the French contingent and the raising of the Union Jack after the race led to what was described as an "unfavourable demonstration".

Some time before the race, however, Cloete arrived in England from Mexico and had a disagreement with Porter that resulted in the withdrawal of Paradox from the Cambridgeshire, causing a "terrible rumpus"[30] among the betting public.

[30] An exacerbating factor in the affair was that there had been a delay between Cloete privately announcing that the horse would not run and the official withdrawal, during which period heavy gambling continued, with some individuals apparently profiting from inside knowledge.

His victory was received in silence by the spectators, although there were none of the open displays of hostility towards Cloete that been feared following the controversy arising from the colt's withdrawal from the Cambridgeshire.

Paradox won, despite conceding thirty-four pounds to Aveline, but his "brilliant" success was again met with silence from the crowd and Cloete was greeted "without a word of congratulation or the semblance of a note of enthusiasm".

He showed some promise as a stallion, siring several winners including Red Ensign (Prince of Wales's Stakes), Unicorne (Stewards' Cup) and Alconbury (Hansa Preis), and his stud fee had risen to 100 guineas by 1890 when he died of a twisted intestine at the age of eight.