Tag Archive for: Paddy Twomey

One Look snapped up by Wathnan Racing

/in /by

One Look, who returned to winning ways last time out for Paddy Twomey, is the latest acquisition to the ever-expanding Wathnan Racing team.

Having won the Goffs Million on her only outing at two, connections harboured Classic dreams in 2024 but she came up short in her trial in May.

She ended the last campaign in good form and began this season with a win in Group Three company at the Curragh – and while she found quick ground against her in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, the step up in trip suited her in the Group Three Meadow Court Stakes most recently.

With a variety of options coming up such as the Matron and Blandford Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival, Wathnan are looking forward to the future, and her second career as a broodmare.

Richard Brown, Wathnan’s Racing adviser, said: “One Look is a fine racemare, with plenty of options from a mile to 10 furlongs before she retires to stud.

“She’s been very well campaigned and is enjoying a tremendous season. We’re thrilled to have her.”

Carmers in good shape for York clash with Lambourn

/in /by

Paddy Twomey’s unbeaten colt Carmers is aiming for more success on British soil when he lines up in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on Wednesday.

The Wootton Bassett three-year-old did not run at two, and has not put a foot wrong since making his debut with a win in a Ballinrobe maiden in early May.

He then took the Listed Yeats Stakes at Navan by a comfortable three lengths, after which he stepped up to Group Two level at Royal Ascot to claim the Queen’s Vase over a mile and six furlongs.

The colt is now heading for English shores again with his eye on another Group Two prize, this time stepping back to a mile and a half with Colin Keane booked to ride on the Knavesmire in the absence of the injured Billy Lee.

“He’s in very good form,” said Twomey.

“He’s trained really well since Ascot and has pleased us in everything he’s done, we’re really looking forward to getting him back out again.”

Carmers’ Queen’s Vase win at Ascot has looked like an increasingly solid piece of form – the runner-up, Furthur, has won the Geoffrey Freer since and the fifth-placed horse, Scandinavia, has subsequently struck twice when taking both the Bahrain Trophy and the Goodwood Cup.

Those performances bode well for Twomey’s runner, who will meet dual Derby winner Lambourn at York on quick ground the trainer feels his St Leger contender will relish.

“The race looks like it’s worked out really well, the form is very good from Ascot,” he said.

“I think the track at the Knavesmire will really suit him, it’s a big, galloping track and it will be fast ground which he really likes.

“He’d be very happy with the ground as it is, it was very quick ground at Ascot and he was very happy on that.”

Aidan O’Brien has chosen the Group Two as the next port of call for Lambourn, who has the option of the Leger or Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after this.

Impressive at Epsom, he was made to work extremely hard when following up at the Curragh by then stablemate Serious Contender, who had been beaten in a handicap at Royal Ascot and has since been sold to Hong Kong.

“Lambourn has obviously had four races this year, he’s fit, so he hasn’t done too much since the Curragh,” said O’Brien.

“We’ve just kept him ticking over really. Los Angeles came from the Curragh and Epsom to this race last year

“Mount Kilimanjaro had a break after winning at Chester. He’s just ready to start back really.

“It’s the same with Stay True, he just got beat in the Lingfield trial by another of ours (Puppet Master) and we gave him a break as that was just his second run, he’s just ready to start.

“They’ll improve a lot for the run.”

O’Brien also runs Thrice, seventh in the Irish Derby when last seen and prior to that the winner of the Gallinule Stakes.

William Haggas is represented by Glasgow Stakes runner-up Arabian Force, while Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras, so impressive in the Dante but disappointing since, returns to York having been gelded.

Doncaster Classic firmly on the agenda for unbeaten Carmers

/in /by

Paddy Twomey and connections of Carmers are working back from the Betfred St Leger with their Queen’s Vase hero, as they plot the best route to Doncaster in September.

Unraced at two, the Wootton Bassett colt is a perfect three from three this season, most latterly in the Group Three at Royal Ascot, where he showed his stamina for a mile and six furlongs.

“Carmers is in good form. The plan is to go for the Leger and how we get there remains to be seen,” said Twomey.

“The owners are keen on going for the Voltigeur (at York) and there is also the Vinnie Roe in Leopardstown. We could stay at home and just go straight there, so we’ll see.”

Twomey – who said his beaten Ribblesdale Stakes favourite Catalina Delcarpio would be coming back to 10 furlongs – added: “He’s a grand horse and doesn’t show you much at home.

“He went to Ballinrobe and won, eight days later went to Navan and won, a month later went to Ascot and won. It’s hard to find a horse like him.”

One Look is all it takes for Twomey filly to star at the Curragh

/in /by

One Look relished a step up in trip when bouncing back to her best in the Curragh’s Al Shira’aa Racing Meadow Court Stakes.

The four-year-old burst onto the scene here at the Curragh in a valuable event as a two-year-old and has been one of Paddy Twomey’s top performers ever since.

She began this season in great form, winning the Park Express Stakes at this track before returning to give Porta Fortuna a fright in the Lanwades Stud Stakes, but was disappointing when last seen in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Sent off at 100-30 for her first try at 10 furlongs, she relished the return to her beloved Curragh and served a reminder of her class in the hands of Wayne Lordan to deliver a decisive length success over Dermot Weld’s Azada.

Twomey said: “It was great to come here and win again at the Curragh. She seems to like the Curragh and is a lovely filly.

“Ascot didn’t work out for her, probably on ground quicker than she’d like and a trip as short as she’d want to go.

“She ran over nine and a half furlongs at Gowran last year and we felt on pedigree that stepping up in trip would suit her. She was brave today, she didn’t have the easiest passage through but won nicely.

Paddy Twomey with jockey Wayne Lordan after the victory of One Look
Paddy Twomey with jockey Wayne Lordan after the victory of One Look (Niall Carson/PA)

“She’s won a Group Three with a penalty, so we’re going to have to look at better races.

“She’s in the Nassau, she could run here in the Blandford Stakes on Champions Weekend and races on Arc weekend. We’ll have a think and pick our spots, but she’s a four-year-old now and will probably run more than she has in the past.”

Sir Mark Prescott’s Tasmania, the 5-2 favourite, had to settle for a running-on third.

Carmers collects in Queen’s Vase for Paddy Twomey

/in /by

Carmers maintained his unbeaten record with a determined display in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

A first runner at the Royal fixture for trainer Paddy Twomey, the Wootton Bassett colt had been successful on his two previous starts at Ballinrobe and Navan and was a 9-2 shot to complete his hat-trick in this one-mile-six-furlong Group Two.

Always to the fore in the hands of Billy Lee, Carmers took over from Shackleton rounding the home turn and answered his rider’s every call to repel the staying-on pair of Furthur and Rahiebb, with three-quarters of a length the winning margin.

“I knew he’d stay and I knew turning in that Billy looked comfortable,” said Twomey.

“I was happy to see a horse come up alongside him and help him at the front, he looked comfortable when the bell rang and I knew he had a chance.

“I think staying is his game and I think he’s a pretty good horse.”

Ladbrokes installed the Fiona Carmichael-owned winner as the 8-1 second-favourite for the Betfred St Leger, and Twomey added: “He’s done everything we’ve asked, he’s obviously going to have an entry in the Leger at Doncaster – we’ll see.

“He’s done what was asked of him today, he’s run three times, he’s won three times and hopefully he continues to win.

“We’ve nice horses, we’ve good owners and it’s fantastic to be able to bring them here.

“It’s nice to have good horses to win on the big days for a small stable.”