County Tipperary trainer Paddy Twomey is unlikely to be represented in the G1 Qipco 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, having stated his intention to wait for the Irish equivalent–run at the Curragh on Sunday, May 26–before stepping up to the top level with a trio of talented fillies in his care.
They include A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}), who gained her third success from as many starts when returning from eight months off to win the G3 Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” S. at Leopardstown last time, digging deep to beat the Listed winner Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) by a head.
“I was very happy with how she did it in the Guineas trial the other day at Leopardstown,” Twomey said of that performance. “She won 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. 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.”
A Lilac Rolla could be joined at the Curragh by two other unbeaten stable-mates in the shape of One Look (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and 'TDN Rising Star' Purple Lily (Ire) (Calyx {GB}). Both fillies raced only once at two and have already been in action in 2024 when making the most of good opportunities to win at Cork and Naas, respectively.
“My thinking now is that she won't go to Newmarket,” Twomey said of One Look, who made a sparkling debut as a two-year-old when winning the Goffs Million at the Curragh by six lengths. “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].
“She's one that I would hope will progress all year and 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.”
Twomey confirmed similar plans for Purple Lily, adding, “She will go for an Irish Guineas and not an English Guineas. She's a filly that will stay 10 furlongs in time and 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.”
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