Tag Archive for: Paddy Twomey

Shamida sets up return to Group One action

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Shamida showed the value of her comeback run last month to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes at Cork.

Dermot Weld’s runner had been off for 294 days when finishing sixth in the Curragh Cup and she was clearly better for it, moving nicely into this before putting her head down to see off the front-running Ballydoyle three-year-olds Mother Nature and Lily Heart.

Ridden by Chris Hayes, the Aga Khan-owned four-year-old (4-1) – who ended last season finishing mid-division in the Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend – was striking at Group Three level for the third time in her career and holds a number of notable engagements.

Kris Weld, assistant to his father, said: “She is a very brave and honest filly and a very good one. We thought she’d win today, we were surprised she wasn’t favourite, but there you go, and she is a triple Group Three-winning filly now.

“The distance (mile and a half) was slightly short for her, but she showed a good turn of foot at the top of the straight. She isn’t a slow filly.

“She has plenty of entries in the autumn, we’ll see how she comes out of this race and pick something nice. She’ll be going back up to Group One level again.”

Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee were out of luck with the well-fancied
La Isla Mujeres in the feature, but did have a nice winner through Super Sox in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms Irish EBF Platinum Stakes.

Progressive at the start of the season, but having her first start since May, Super Sox was sent off the 11-4 joint-favourite and there was not much doubt about the result approaching the final furlong.

Twomey said: “She is a nice filly, all her runs had been good, but she won very impressively running quick sectional times on Guineas weekend. She did a 10.5 and an 11.07 (seconds) for the final two furlongs and the horse she beat won by nine lengths and 11 lengths on his next starts.

“She is big, we gave her time and she has furnished her frame as she was quite light in the spring. She needed to fill and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards. She has an entry in the Ballyogan, but I doubt she’ll run as it is next weekend.

“Billy said she could come back to six furlongs next year and we think she has a good future.”



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Lava Stream supplemented for Irish Oaks challenge

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Royal Ascot runner-up Lava Stream has been supplemented for the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday, as has course winner Hanalia.

The David O’Meara-trained Lava Stream was rated just 74 at the start of the season, but has since struck gold in handicap company at Doncaster and in a Listed race at Goodwood before performing above expectations when beaten a neck by Port Fairy in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

She has been added to the Irish Oaks field at a cost of €50,000, and owners Elwick Stud are excited to be heading to the Curragh with a “fighting chance” of claiming Classic glory.

“We just thought with the Ribblesdale form being so strong and the winner of the Ribblesdale being favourite for the Irish Oaks, we may as well take our chance,” said stud manager Gary Moore.

“The form is there, that’s the reason why we’re going. There’s only a couple of Oaks you want to win, this is one of them and you’re able to take on three-year-olds rather than waiting to take on older fillies in the Yorkshire Oaks next time.

“She goes on any ground – the ground won’t bother at all. Even if she gets placed it would be amazing – for the stud, for David, for everyone.

“We’re hoping that we’re going over there with a fighting chance.”

Owned by the Aga Khan, Hanalia has won two of her three starts for Johnny Murtagh – losing her maiden tag at the Curragh in May – and is set to step up to a mile and a half for the first time after winning the Naas Oaks Trial over an extended 10 furlongs last month.

Purple Lily looks a lively outsider for Paddy Twomey
Purple Lily looks a lively outsider for Paddy Twomey (Niall Carson/PA)

Paddy Power make Port Fairy their 11-4 favourite to provide Aidan O’Brien with an eighth win in the Curragh Classic, with the Willie Mullins-trained Lope De Lilas next in the betting at 9-2 as she prepares to carry the Wathnan Racing colours for the first time.

Lava Stream is 8-1 with the same firm, with Hanalia at 14-1, while Paddy Twomey is looking forward to saddling 25-1 shot Purple Lily, who was last seen finishing fifth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

He said: “Purple Lily has been trained very much with the Irish Oaks in mind and we’re looking forward to Saturday with her.

“It’s a step into the unknown (over a mile and a half), but her overall form is very good and the filly she ran against over a mile and a quarter (Ezeliya) ended up the top of generation in Epsom.

“I think there’s every chance she’ll stay.”

Gavin Hernon’s French Oaks fifth Dare To Dream, Port Fairy’s stablemate Content and David Menuisier’s Epsom Oaks third War Chimes also feature among 18 confirmations.



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Leopardstown and Paris options for A Lilac Rolla

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The Matron Stakes at Leopardstown and the Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp are among the options under consideration for A Lilac Rolla after dead-heating for third in Friday’s Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

Two from two as a juvenile last season, the Harry Angel filly maintained her unbeaten record when bagging a Group Three prize at Leopardstown on her reappearance, before finding only Fallen Angel too strong in her bid for Classic glory in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Taking on her elders for the first time on the July course, A Lilac Rolla posted another fine effort in defeat to pick up a bronze medal alongside Rogue Millennium, and trainer Paddy Twomey will do his best to find his charge a suitable opportunity to win a Group One prize before the season is out.

“I was delighted with how she ran. It was a very good race, I was very happy with her and she came out of the race in good order,” he said.

“It mightn’t have been the ideal track for her, but she’s run a career-best on numbers.

“I think something like the Matron will be very much in our thoughts. It’s the type of race we’re looking for, she’s proven at Group One level and we’d obviously like to win one.

“The Matron or the Prix de la Foret, something like that.”



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Twomey will now keep A Lilac Rolla and Purple Lily apart

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A Lilac Rolla may sidestep Royal Ascot in favour of Group targets elsewhere after her second-placed run in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

The Paddy Twomey-trained Harry Angel filly won both starts as a two-year-old before returning to action at three to take the Priory Belle at Leopardstown on her seasonal debut.

With that Group Three title in the bag, she took her chance in the Curragh Classic, starting at 12-1 under Colin Keane alongside shorter-priced stablemate Purple Lily.

Karl Burke’s Fallen Angel, the 11-4 favourite, bounced back from her disappointing English Guineas effort to land the race, with A Lilac Rolla behind her in second and Purple Lily the fifth-placed horse.

Twomey reports both to have come out of the race in good form and they are now likely to go their separate ways, with differing targets for their next outings.

A Lilac Rolla previously at the Curragh
A Lilac Rolla previously at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA)

A Lilac Rolla holds an entry for the Coronation Cup at Royal Ascot but does not look likely to head in that direction, with the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh and the Prix Rothschild at Deauville both preferred.

“We were very pleased with A Lilac Rolla’s run in the Guineas and she came out of the race very well,” said Twomey.

“She’s in the Coronation but at this stage Ascot would look unlikely, I think maybe something like a Minstrel Stakes or the Prix Rothschild might suit her.”

Prior to Purple Lily’s Guineas run, she was second in the Salsabil Stakes, defeated half a length by Dermot Weld’s Ezeliya, with Noel Meade’s Caught U Looking not far back in fourth.

That form was boosted by Ezeliya subsequently winning the Oaks by three lengths, as Caught U Looking came home fifth, a result that bodes well for Purple Lily ahead of her potential tilt at the Pretty Polly.

Purple Lily and after winning a Galway maiden
Purple Lily and after winning a Galway maiden (Niall Carson/PA)

Twomey said: “Purple Lily came out of the race very well also, something like the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend might just suit her – stepping back up to 10 furlongs.

“Mr Weld’s filly won the Oaks very impressively, it was a good race in Navan, with the fourth horse, Caught U Looking, running a good race in the Oaks too.”

Twomey, who won the Pretty Polly with La Petite Coco in 2022, added: “It’s been a lucky race for us in the past, we’d like to keep that up.”



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American Bar sparks Listowel celebration for Twomey

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American Bar looks a juvenile with a bright future having overcome a slow start to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Listowel.

Running in the familiar yellow and black Bond Thoroughbreds silks, she completely blew the first part of the race before displaying a smart turn of foot to win by half a length.

Bought for €300,000, the No Nay Never filly is not going to Royal Ascot but Twomey does have a plan in mind for the 13-8 favourite.

“I wanted to go to the Curragh last week but didn’t feel we were ready to start racing and that race came a bit soon for her. I was a bit nervous coming here with a debutante but the next fillies’ maiden was here,” he said.

“When you miss the break here it is usually game over but she was able to overcome it.

“We haven’t done loads with her but she has trained well all spring and I felt she was nice. She has learned a lot this week, jumped out of the stalls three times and I hope with that under her belt she is a good filly to go forwards.

“She is in the Airlie Stud Stakes on Derby weekend and I was hoping she’d do something like this today, with a view to going there.”

Aidan O’Brien failed to pull off a Derby double with Diego Velazquez in France having cheered home City Of Troy at Epsom, but he did enjoy a winner closer to home through The Liffey in the Pat Smullen Race.

Having just his third outing, securing a win on debut last year before finishing fifth in a Group Three in April, the 2-1 favourite always looked in control under Wayne Lordan.

“It was lovely to win this race run in memory of Pat Smullen, who was an unbelievable rider and unbelievable person. Aidan saw this race on the calendar and targeted The Liffey at it,” said stable representative Chris Armstrong.

“It is a lovely memento to win a race run in Pat’s memory.

“It was a good weekend and this horse won nicely on his only run at two last year. I think the heavy ground at Leopardstown last time caught him out.

“His ideal trip is between seven furlongs and a mile on quick ground and this race fit in nicely for him and was a nice confidence booster.

“He might now step back up into stakes company.”



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Twomey set to target Irish 1,000 Guineas with talented trio

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Paddy Twomey looks set to have no less than three runners in the Irish 1,000 Guineas as his yard is well-stocked with promising fillies.

The unbeaten A Lilac Rolla is the horse most recently seen from the trio, winning the Group Three Priory Belle at Leopardstown ahead of Natalia Lupini’s Kitty Rose when starting her campaign on heavy ground.

That run followed a juvenile season in which she was two from two, winning on debut at Cork and then taking a Curragh contest ahead of subsequent Newtownanner Stud Stakes and Prix Marcel Boussac winner Opera Singer.

“I was very happy with how she did it in the Guineas trial the other day at Leopardstown, she had two good runs last year and she backed that up,” Twomey said of the filly.

The trainer now considers the Irish 1,000 Guineas to be the right Classic for the bay and she is likely to head there instead of the English edition at Newmarket.

Billy Lee, Paddy Twomey and A Lilac Rolla at the Curragh
Billy Lee, Paddy Twomey and A Lilac Rolla at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA)

“I’d say the Irish 1,000 Guineas is the race she’ll go for next, she’s entered there and she’s not entered in Newmarket,” he said.

“She won the other day in spite of the ground I would say, she’s got form last year where she beat Opera Singer on pretty quick ground and then she’s won on heavy ground, so she’s pretty versatile.

“She’s a classy filly and every time she’s started a race, she’s done exactly what we thought she would do.

“The two fillies pulled away the other day and she had every chance to curl up, Natalia’s filly was very good on the day but she put her head down and the two of them passed the line well clear of the field. She was brave to win.”

Joining A Lilac Rolla in the race is likely to be Purple Lily, the winner of a Galway maiden last season and impressive when taking the TRM Equine Nutrition Race by three lengths at Naas on her first start this year.

Purple Lily (second right) at Galway
Purple Lily (second right) at Galway (Niall Carson/PA)

As she is lightly raced, Twomey would like to take his time and target the Irish 1,000 Guineas, which is three weeks later than the Newmarket contest.

“Purple Lily is an exciting filly, she went to Galway ready to run and was impressive I thought,” he said.

“She did everything back to front and still won, I was keen to run her back this season in a winners’ race as opposed to a Stakes after having just one run as a two-year-old.

“She’s a filly that came from the breeze-ups, she’s a big, strong filly, so I wasn’t in a hurry to give her another run.

“We decided that she’d go to Naas and take on the colts, as I thought she might be fit to do it, and you’d have to be very happy with what she did on the day in the ground against highly-rated colts. She was impressive.

“She will go for an Irish Guineas and not an English Guineas, and she’s a filly that will stay 10 furlongs in time. She’s very exciting.

“I’d like to get another run into her of some description but she could go straight to the Guineas now.”

Finally, there is One Look, another real prospect who commanded a great deal of respect when running away with the Goffs Million by six lengths on her only start as a two-year-old.

One Look winning the Goffs Million
One Look winning the Goffs Million (Damien Eagers/PA)

Naturally, she was a very warm order when making her debut at three at Cork and she did not disappoint, winning by three lengths on heavy ground over seven furlongs.

She too is on the path to the Irish 1,000 Guineas, with either the Athasi Stakes or the Cornelscourt Stakes the probable port of call along the way.

Twomey said: “One Look won the Goffs Million last year, I didn’t feel like running her again after that. To go to the race in September and to win as impressively as she did, if you give her a month after winning, you were into November and there’s not really anywhere to go.

“I was keen then this year to run her in a winners’ race rather than going straight to a Stakes, she had her one day at the races and she won very impressively, but it all happened quickly and I wanted her to have some more education.

“We took her to Cork ready to run, the ground wasn’t what we’d be looking for but she did what we hoped she’d do. She was the 1-20 favourite and my first runner on the day had been beaten, so I wasn’t feeling great about it! But she went and did it, it was a good educational day out for her.

“My thinking now is that she won’t go to Newmarket, I think she’ll stay in Ireland and either go to the Athasi Stakes or more likely the Cornelscourt Stakes at Leopardstown, with a view to going to the Irish Guineas.

“I feel that I’d like to educate her a bit more along the way, I don’t want to land her into an English Guineas just now. Those are the two races I would run her in if she is going to run before the Irish Guineas and the preference would be the three-year-old only race (Cornelscourt).

“I think she needs faster ground. I know that it wasn’t fast the day she won the Goffs Million but the way she accelerated on that slightly softer ground, I think she’ll get a mile and I think that she’ll get further than a mile, she’s light on her feet and she’s athletic and I think fast ground would be a real plus for her.

“She’s one that I would hope will progress all year, I’m just not in a hurry to rush off to England and give her a grueller. I would like to take the next step with her career in mind.”



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A Lilac Rolla digs deep for Group Three glory

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A Lilac Rolla maintained her unbeaten record with a gritty display in the Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” Stakes at Leopardstown.

Paddy Twomey’s filly had won both her starts at two, and she had one piece of standout form in terms of this Group Three.

She had finished in front of Aidan O’Brien’s Opera Singer at the Curragh in August, with that filly going on to win the Prix Marcel Boussac by five lengths.

A Lilac Rolla just edged victory
A Lilac Rolla just edged victory (Brian Lawless/PA)

Sent off at 9-2, A Lilac Rolla’s rider Billy Lee was keen not to let Seamie Heffernan get too far clear on Kitty Rose and from a long way out the two had it between themselves.

Both of them stuck to the task gamely but it was A Lilac Rolla who just came out on top by a head, with the pair almost three lengths clear of Buttons in third.

“I think she’s a good filly and I’d hoped she would do something like that,” said Twomey.

Billy Lee and trainer Paddy Twomey after A Lilac Rolla's success
Billy Lee and trainer Paddy Twomey after A Lilac Rolla’s success (Brian Lawless/PA)

“I haven’t run her since she won the second time last year as she just grew and I wanted to give her the time. I’m glad I did and she’s trained well all winter.

“I was looking forward to coming here today, although the heavy ground was a concern as her form was on good ground. She’s uncomplicated and she’s tough.

“She had every chance to curl up if she wanted to but she didn’t.

“We’re lucky that we have good horses and good owners. I’m very well supported and appreciative of that.”



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Twomey charting Classic course with top fillies

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Paddy Twomey is in an enviable position as he considers where to send Guineas hopefuls One Look and Purple Lily.

Both fillies ran twice as two-year-olds and both showed a great deal of promise when winning their respective starts in good style.

One Look, a Gleneagles bay out of a Holy Roman Emperor mare called Holy Salt, made her debut in the Goffs Million at the Curragh last September having been purchased as a yearling via the auction house for €65,000.

There she faced a field of expensive purchases but made light work of them all when powering to a six-length success over seven furlongs and pocketing just shy of 10 times her purchase price as the first place purse was €610,000.

Earmarked as a top prospect for the 2024, One Look started her campaign in a Cork auction race and maintained her reputation with an easy three-length victory there.

One Look after winning the Goffs Million
One Look after winning the Goffs Million (Damien Eagers/PA)

“That was a good starting point for her, she won the Goffs Million last year and I was keen to get another run into her,” Twomey said.

“She went there ready to run and acquitted herself well in the circumstances, on the heavy ground, she’ll go for one of the Guineas in England or Ireland.

“Over the next few days we’ll make a decision on who goes where when we’ve run most of them.”

Purple Lily, who is by Calyx, also started her career on a good note when winning a Galway maiden last August and proved she had progressed into her three-year-old season when lining up in the TRM Equine Nutrition Race at Naas in March.

There she prevailed by three lengths from the Group One-placed Portland, and like her stablemate she now holds entries for the 1000 Guineas contests at both Newmarket and the Curragh.

Purple Lily after winning on debut at Galway
Purple Lily after winning on debut at Galway (Niall Carson/PA)

“Purple Lily came out of her win in Naas in great form, I’m very happy with her,” Twomey said.

“She’s trained very well since, we’re looking forward to the year ahead and we’ll decide soon which of the Guineas she’ll go for – hopefully it’ll be either the English or the Irish Guineas.

“We’re lucky to have some nice horses in and we’re just hoping they can have a good year.”



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Ballysax distance expected to suit Deepone

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Paddy Twomey is likely to have a clearer idea about Deepone’s potential ambitions for the rest of the season after he makes his return in the P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The Study Of Man colt finished off his juvenile campaign in fine style, winning the Group Two Beresford Stakes by a length and threequarters at the Curragh in September, his third success from five starts.

Prior to that, he came home fourth behind Diego Velazquez in the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown and was runner-up in the Churchill Stakes at Tipperary.

Deepone, who holds big-race entries in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the Derby at Epsom, will take a step up in trip on his three-year-old debut for this recognised Classic trial over 10 furlongs, won previously by the likes of Galileo, High Chaparral, Fame And Glory and Harzand.

Deepone after winning the Beresford Stakes
Deepone after winning the Beresford Stakes (Damien Eagers/PA)

“He’s wintered well and I think it’s a good place to start,” said Twomey.

“He has a 5lb penalty for his win in the Beresford Stakes last season, but we’re looking forward to running him on Sunday.

“I think stepping up in trip will play to his strengths, I think a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half should be well within his compass.”

Aidan O’Brien has three entries as he goes in search of a 12th Ballysax success, including Illinois, a soft-ground scorer at the Curragh before finishing third behind stablemate Los Angeles in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

Ocean Of Dreams made a huge impression on his racecourse debut at this track in October, romping home by six lengths on heavy going, while The Euphrates obliged on his second outing at Gowran Park when the mud was flying.

The field is completed by Dallas Star, with the Amo Racing-owned Zetland Stakes third making his first start for Adrian Murray after moving from the yard of Dominic Ffrench Davis.

Jockey Billy Lee and trainer Paddy Twomey with A Lilac Rolla at the Curragh
Jockey Billy Lee and trainer Paddy Twomey with A Lilac Rolla at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA)

Twomey has another promising three-year-old making a seasonal debut on the same card as A Lilac Rolla contests the Group Three Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” Stakes.

A filly by Harry Angel, A Lilac Rolla enjoyed a brief but flawless juvenile season, winning on her July debut at Cork before taking a Curragh fillies’ race by a head from Opera Singer the following month.

That form could hardly have worked out better, as Opera Singer went on to win the Group Three Newtownanner Stud Stakes by six and a half lengths and then the elite-level Prix Marcel Boussac by five lengths.

“She had a good year last year, she won her maiden and then she won her next race in good style,” Twomey said.

“She beat a very good filly in Opera Singer, she’s wintered well and is ready to start.

“The ground conditions may not be ideal but she’s in a good place and this is a good starting point for the season ahead.

“It was a good race (the Curragh race), she’s done well all winter and we’re looking forward to getting her started.”

Elsewhere in the seven-furlongs contest, there are four Ballydoyle runners in Buttons, Cherry Blossom, Greenfinch and Sweetest, with Donnacha O’Brien set to saddle Mysteries.

Joseph Murphy has entered Alpheratz, Jim Bolger is represented by Finsceal Luas and the field is completed by Natalia Lupini’s Kitty Rose, Noel Meade’s Money Dancer, Ger Lyons’ Wendla and the Alice Haynes-trained British raider Lexington Belle.

The other Group Three on the card is the Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” Stakes, which features Aidan O’Brien’s trio of Battle Cry, Samuel Colt and The Liffey, as well as Joseph O’Brien’s course and distance winner Atlantic Coast, plus Jack Davison’s dominant Madrid Handicap winner Take Me To Church.



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Straightforward seasonal return for One Look at Cork

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Paddy Twomey’s One Look maintained her unbeaten record with a workmanlike display in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race at Cork.

Sent off the prohibitively priced 1-20 favourite to beat four rivals, she did so with the minimum of fuss but failed to shake up the ante-post Classic markets.

Having won the Goffs Million on her racecourse debut, the daughter of Gleneagles went into the winter as a big fancy for the 1000 Guineas.

Twomey carefully selected her reappearance run and her starting price suggested the calibre of opposition she was up against, although in the heavy ground, Billy Lee had to shake her up.

While she ultimately won by three lengths, Coral left her unchanged at 9-1 for the Newmarket Classic.

“She did exactly what we were hoping she would do. We got her out, got her some exercise and education and it has gone to plan, so I’m very happy,” said Twomey.

“We had the plan in our head that we were coming (regardless of the heavy ground), she settled and quickened and it was pretty straightforward. I don’t think I’ve trained many 1-20 shots!

“That was her first piece of work for the year, so we’ll sit down and make a plan. We have a couple of more fillies to run, so we will see where we go but she is in the Irish, English, French and German Guineas.

“If she runs in Newmarket (English 1000 Guineas), she would go straight there, but if she runs in Ireland, she might run again.

“She is a lovely-actioned filly, was ready to run today and I think she’ll progress plenty.”

Wide With Delight won on her debut
Wide With Delight won on her debut (PA)

There was a mild surprise in the opening Welcome To The Racing Home For Easter Festival 2024 Fillies’ Maiden, which went the way of Johnny Murtagh’s debutante Wide With Delight (20-1).

Winning jockey Shane B Kelly said: “She is a lovely filly with a really good attitude. Her work has been good at home but we thought she might need the run. I’d say she isn’t too bad.

“We hacked early in the race and I took back to be behind Colin (Keane, on favourite National Lady), as he would bring me where I needed to be if mine was good enough – and it worked out well.

“She pricked her ears out of greenness and had a good look around but she was still going forward. She was a lovely ride, has a great attitude and is really likeable.”

Andy Slattery’s Easy lived up to her name when barely coming off the bridle in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cork Stakes at 25-1, sparking Royal Ascot dreams for the trainer.

“If I have a Group One horse, this is it. I knew she’d improve from today but we can’t get her off the bridle and she was only half-speeding. I’d say she will improve a lot and hopefully we are heading for Royal Ascot,” said Slattery.

“I never had a horse like her to pull away from horses so easily and that’s how she initially got her name – everything was easy for her.

“I’m going to keep her to five or six furlongs, as she has so much pace and talent. Both Group One sprint races at Royal Ascot would be the plan, along with the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.”

He added: “She is back from injury, so hopefully we can keep her sound. I got her back last July but we had a bit of patching up to do with her. She had knee problems, so had to go for an operation. She is in training a long time before today but had no hard gallops done with her.

“She will go on any ground and she is exciting.”

Slattery and his jockey son of the same name had already won the Book Tickets Online At CorkRacecourse.ie Handicap with Independent Expert (17-2).



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Purple Lily proves significant potential in Naas triumph

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Purple Lily advertised her Classic claims with victory in the TRM Equine Nutrition Race at Naas.

A winner at Galway on her sole two-year-old outing, Purple Lily was sent off the 10-11 favourite to maintain her perfect record for trainer Paddy Twomey in the mile heat.

She made smooth progress for Billy Lee and when sent to win her race a furlong out, she had more than enough in reserve to win by three lengths from the Group One-placed Portland.

Twomey said: “She’s a nice filly and she wintered well. We just gave her the one run after the breeze-ups last year and she was good.

Purple Lily won on her sole juvenile outing at Galway
Purple Lily won on her sole juvenile outing at Galway (Niall Carson/PA)

“I like her, the horses have done loads of cantering but they haven’t done much fast work. When you are taking on a 108-rated colt, you are asking them a question and she did it well.

“We might look at a Guineas trial and then the Irish Guineas. I think we’ll take our time.”

The Calyx filly has now won twice on testing ground, but Twomey added: “That’s only what was there the day she ran, I’d say it doesn’t matter.

“She’s versatile, she has a lovely attitude and is a lovely filly to train. Hopefully we have a good year with her.”

Wendla could also be set for a Classic trial after a taking success in the Dubawi Legend Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.

Beaten in two juvenile starts, Wendla was sent off an 11-2 chance to make it third time lucky for trainer Ger Lyons and jockey Colin Keane and she obliged in style, with a cosy two-and-a-half-length verdict over Harbour Gem.

The Ulysses filly is out of Breeders’ Cup winner Intercontinental, who is a daughter of Juddmonte’s prolific mare Hasili and counts Dansili, Banks Hill and Champs Elysees among her illustrious relations.

“Colin said to me she’d win if she did what we’ve seen at home. It’s about whether they handle the ground or not,” said Lyons.

“She’s a nice filly and it’s nice to get the maidens out of the way with the likes of her and (Friday’s Dundalk winner) Sakti.

“We thought if she handles that ground, if one of the trials comes up soft then we have one for it and if it turns up good, we’ve one for it too.

“I’m not saying they are Guineas horses or anything, they’ve to prove that, but at the minute we’ve won our maiden and they are horses we would like to be going to a trial with and see where the ceiling is in time.

“There’s nothing that gets going until after Punchestown so that gives us a chance to take a breather and obviously the trials are what I wanted to aim at. Ultimately it’s all about stakes races with all the horses.”

Janoobi (4-1) made it a double for Lyons and Keane in the Far Above At Compas Stallions Handicap, returning from a 575-day absence to win by five lengths – much to Lyons’ delight.

He said: “There is a lot of satisfaction in that because he’s come back from a massive injury and the team have done a marvellous job.

“He had a bad fracture in his front leg and it was touch and go whether he was going to be with us. They did a massive job with him and it’s a credit to anyone that had anything to do with him.

“He’s a horse that we always liked and it’s just a bonus to get him back, to win with him is just massive.

“He’s a good, fun horse to have on the team and every day we have with him now is a bonus.”



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One Look’s Goffs Million rout seals a superb Saturday for Twomey

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One Look fairly bolted up in the Goffs Million at the Curragh on debut to ensure Paddy Twomey had a day he will never forgot.

Just over an hour after Deepone won the Group Two Beresford Stakes in fine style, One Look landed some hefty bets at 5-1 in the seven-furlong contest, worth €610,000 to the winner.

A filly by Gleneagles, she was smuggled into the race by Billy Lee before sprinting clear.

With just over a furlong to run Aidan O’Brien’s Cherry Blossom and Frankie Dettori had fought their way to the front and it seemed as if the pair were going to enjoy another big race success together.

However as soon as Lee released the handbrake on One Look she put the race to bed in a matter of strides, winning by six lengths.

Jockey Billy Lee (right) and Robert Connolly with One Look after winning the Goffs Million
Jockey Billy Lee (right) and Robert Connolly with One Look after winning the Goffs Million (Damien Eagers/PA)

“She’s a nice filly and she’s been a nice filly all year. I thought I would have run her earlier but it’s just the way it worked out and she was just ready to run this week,” said Twomey.

“I think she’s a nice filly and I gave her an (Irish) Guineas entry on Wednesday.

“I thought she was ready to start and good enough to be competitive. The plan was to track Frankie and see how we got on.”

When asked if the winner could run again this year he added: “I wouldn’t think so. That was a big performance to do that on debut. Maybe she’ll say yes but I doubt it.

“We have nice two-year-olds. I’m delighted as the owners (Connolly Racing Syndicate) sent me two horses this year for the first time and both have won first time out now. Juxtaposition won the first mile maiden at Leopardstown.”

Ger Lyons’ Pipsy (11-4) had beaten all bar the classy King Cuan on her debut and made no mistake in the Bermingham Cameras Photo Finish Irish EBF Maiden under Colin Keane.

Pipsy winning the Bermingham Cameras Photo Finish Irish EBF Maiden
Pipsy winning the Bermingham Cameras Photo Finish Irish EBF Maiden (Damien Eagers/PA)

“It was lovely and it was no more than you’d expect after seeing King Cuan, the first day in Cork and definitely the last day in Naas. He impressed me both times,” said Lyons.

“This filly has always been a filly we like and definitely a maiden winner. I said if she handles the ground she wins and if she doesn’t we’ll go to Dundalk – no problems.

“Colin was adamant she’d handle the ground and that she’ll handle Dundalk so we’ll go for the stakes race up there, the (Group 3) Mercury Stakes, and then we’ll put her away.

“It was her first day away at Cork, Paddy (Twomey’s) are always tuned to the minute and there was no third. I said ‘we’ve walked into one’.

“I felt a bit sorry for her then as she did everything right on her own that day.

“I said we’d see the truth of the race in Naas and I don’t think you could be any more impressed with the winner as he was beat, found a gear and took off again. I though then ‘he’s alright and we definitely walked into one’.

“We knew we had natural improvement and she’d win a good maiden but I was just worried about the ground.”



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Deepone makes all to give Twomey first Beresford win

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Deepone ensured a new name will go on the Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes trophy as he provided Paddy Twomey with his first win in the Curragh contest.

Aidan O’Brien has won the Group Two a remarkable 21 times and fielded three runners on this occasion, all last time out winners and he had hired the services of Frankie Dettori for Navy Seal.

Colin Keane took the ride on Grosvenor Square while Gavin Ryan was on Chief Little Rock and with Joseph O’Brien running dual winner Stromberg, Twomey’s Study Of Man colt was almost fighting a lone battle against the O’Briens given the only other runner, Andy Oliver’s Ozark Daze, went off at 150-1.

With that possibly on his mind Billy Lee was ultra-positive on Deepone (3-1), who after winning his first two starts had finished second in a Listed race and fourth behind Diego Velazquez in a Group Two.

With two furlongs to run he had kicked almost five lengths clear and while the gap dwindled close to home, he still had a length and three-quarters to spare over Chief Little Rock who just edged out Grosvenor Square for second with Navy Seal and Dettori only fourth.

Deepone left a host of well bred horses trailing in his wake
Deepone left a host of well bred horses trailing in his wake (Damien Eagers/PA)

“He’s a nice horse, he’s been a work in progress and we’ve been educating him,” said Twomey.

“I felt he had come out of the last race in great form. I said to Billy that I was going to run him again and he kind of looked at me but I said I felt he was in good form.

“He’s a strong traveller and he finds plenty, I think he’s a mile-and-a-quarter or mile-and-a-half horse next year.

“Hopefully for Vimal (Khosla, owner) he’s a Derby horse for next year and that’ll be it for this year now.

“I’ve been dropping him in on turning tracks and there was plenty of traffic. I said to Billy ‘no nonsense today, get out there and let’s go and see if they are good enough’.

“He put them to the sword and I think he’s a good horse.”

Paddy Power cut him to 20-1 from 33s for next year’s 2000 Guineas.



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Deepone takes foray into Listed waters at Tipperary

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Deepone will put his unbeaten record on the line when he lines up in the Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes at Tipperary on Friday.

Paddy Twomey’s youngster has created a deep impression in his two outings so far, excelling at Leopardstown on debut, before further enhancing his reputation with a comfortable success over a mile at Killarney.

The son of Study Of Man will now make his first foray into Pattern company with his handler unable to fault what he has seen from the colt in his short career so far.

“He’s a nice horse and he’s answered every question we’ve asked of him to date,” said Twomey.

“Tomorrow is the next step of his education and hopefully he can continue in the same sort of form.

“He’s been an uncomplicated horse and everything we have asked he has done it. We think he will make a nice three-year-old and we’re just taking the steps and educating him at the minute.”

The O’Brien family is well represented in the Listed contest and Donnacha O’Brien’s Bremen is another to impress when winning over a mile at Killarney, while Joseph O’Brien will rely on Warnie who looked equally as talented when breaking his maiden at Bellewstown.

The Highland Reel colt was beaten only three lengths when making his debut in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Owning Hill handler believes his charge is more than capable of playing a part in this company.

He said: “He won nicely at Bellewstown and the race has worked out well. We think he is a smart enough colt and he can be competitive in this grade.

“The owners are Australian-based so it was nice they could be there to watch him make his debut at Ascot which was lovely and he came back and won well next time.”

Aidan O’Brien has a good record in this event and has won it with the likes of St Leger hero Capri in the past.

This time he saddles both Leopardstown scorer Brilliant and Democracy, while Dermot Weld’s Captain Maverick was behind Warnie at Bellewstown on debut before getting off the mark at Galway and is an interesting contender for the Rosewell House handler.

Adrian Murray’s Courageous Strike completes the select group of seven that will head to post.



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Twomey leaning towards Yorkshire Oaks aim for Rosscarbery

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The Yorkshire Oaks is the preferred next target for Rosscarbery after she came off second best in a clash with Emily Dickinson at the Curragh on Saturday.

Paddy Twomey’s mare has won three times at Group Three level and last summer came within a neck of claiming Group One glory in the Prix Jean Romanet, narrowly failing to reel in Aristia.

Having finished fourth over 10 furlongs in the Pretty Polly Stakes on her penultimate start, Rosscarbery stepped up to a mile and three-quarters for last weekend’s Curragh Cup – but after travelling strongly to the front, she was oustayed by the hot favourite.

A return to Deauville for a second tilt at the Romanet is not being ruled as the five-year-old’s next objective, but Twomey views the Yorkshire Oaks on August 24, over the intermediate distance of a mile and a half, as the ideal aim.

“She ran great on Saturday over a trip that is probably as far as she wants to go in ground that was more favourable to Emily Dickinson than her – she likes a bit of faster ground,” said the trainer.

“We sort of have the Yorkshire Oaks and the Prix Jean Romanet in mind, that’s why we ran her at the weekend as it fitted in perfectly in our schedule.

“Out of those, the preference is probably for the Yorkshire Oaks. The Romanet is the Sunday before and she was second in that last year.

“I think a mile and a half at York would be her ideal track and trip and very suitable for her, so that’s what we have in mind.”



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