Tag: Paddy Twomey

Invincible Spirit’s Pearls Galore Prevails at The Curragh

Haras de Saint Pair's evergreen 5-year-old mare Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}–Pearl Banks {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}), who posted runner-up finishes in last term's G1 Matron S. and G1 Prix de la Foret, went postward as the odds-on selection for Sunday's G2 Lanwades Stud S. at The Curragh, but was made to fight for a narrow success by 25-1 outsider Emphatic Answer (Ire) (No Nay Never). The homebred bay, whose 2021 campaign yielded scores in the G3 Brownstown S. and G3 Fairy Bridge S., also ran sixth in November's GI Breeders' Cup Mile and lined up here coming back off a win in Leopardstown's Listed Heritage S. on seasonal return last month. The eventual was the sharpest of seven into stride and settled behind the leaders in third after the early strides. Inching closer once into the straight, the 8-11 favourite was shaken up inside the final quarter mile to launch her challenge Emphatic Answer entering the final furlong and was driven out to just get the better of that rival by a neck. Sh Boom (GB) (War Command) was best of the remainder and finished two lengths away in third.

“She's tough and improving all the time,” said winning trainer Paddy Twomey. “She enjoys her racing and does what she has to do. She's won her Group 2 now, so we'll have to try and win a Group 1. The fillies' races through the summer–the Falmouth, the Prix de Rothschild and the Matron–and maybe the [Prix de la] Foret and the [GI] Breeders Cup Mile, that sort of programme we are looking at with her. We'll target the European races before going to America.”

Pearls Galore is the fifth of seven foals and one of three stakes winners produced by G3 Dirk Elbers-Preis victrix Pearl Banks (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), herself out of G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). Pearly Shells, in turn, is a half-sister to GI Hollywood Turf Cup-winning sire Frenchpark (GB) (Fools Holme). The May-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to G3 Grosser Preis der Mehl-Mulhens-Stiftung victrix Lucky Lycra (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), Listed Prix des Lilas winner Pearly Steph (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the unraced 2-year-old colt L'Ambassadeur (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}).

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
LANWADES STUD S.-G2, €142,800, Curragh, 5-22, 4yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:39.62, gd/yl.
1–PEARLS GALORE (FR), 128, m, 5, by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Pearl Banks (GB) (GSW-Ger & SW-Fr, $127,537), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Pearly Shells (GB), by Efisio (GB)
3rd Dam: Piffle (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O/B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair du Mont (FR); T-Paddy Twomey; J-Billy Lee. €72,000. Lifetime Record: 14-6-3-1, $426,326. *1/2 to Lucky Lycra (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), GSW-Ger & SW-Fr; and Pearly Steph (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Emphatic Answer (Ire), 128, f, 4, No Nay Never–Ask Me Nicely (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Rectory Road Holdings Ltd, Susan Magnier & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Mrs A M O'Brien (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €24,000.
3–Sh Boom (GB), 128, m, 6, War Command–Nouvelle Lune (GB), by Fantastic Light. (52,000gns RNA Ylg '17 TAOCT; 57,000gns 3yo '19 TATMA). O-David Spratt, Sean Jones & Mrs Lynne Lyons; B-J G Davis & Star Pointe Ltd (GB); T-Ger Lyons. €12,000.
Margins: NK, 2, 3/4. Odds: 0.73, 25.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Thunder Beauty (Ire), Twilight Spinner (GB), Shahaada (Ire), Diadora (Ire). Scratched: My Holy Fox (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Twomey Hoping Pearls Can Shine At The Curragh

He may be without one of the most exciting horses in his stable this weekend after being forced to rule Limiti Di Greccio (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) out of Sunday's Irish G1 1000 Guineas but Paddy Twomey has talked up the chances of Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) ahead of the G2 Lanwades Stud S on the same day.

Pearls Galore was beaten just a neck in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown last season before chasing home Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp and Twomey is hoping to achieve top-level success with the 5-year-old at some stage during the campaign.

He explained, “Pearls Galore will run in the Lanwades Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday. That has been the plan since she won at Leopardstown on her return and she has been kept in training with the distinct aim of winning a Group 1. This looks the logical next step and then I'd be hopeful of targeting Group 1s for the rest of the year with her.”

On future plans, Twomey added, “She's in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot but I don't fancy taking on Baaeed with a filly so I'd say the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, the Falmouth Stakes, the Prix Rothschild and even the Prix Maurice de Gheest, races like that could suit. Any of those mile or seven-furlong Group races, she could be aimed at those.”

Rumbles Of Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) maintained the strong start to the season for the stable in carrying Twomey's own white and green colours to victory on just her second start for the trainer in the Listed McCalmont Memorial S. at Gowran Park last month.

A Listed winner in France last term, Rumbles Of Thunder was picked up privately by Twomey, who shared that Group races will be on the agenda before a possible appearance at the December Mares Sale at Tattersalls.

He said, “Rumbles Of Thunder was very good at Gowran Park. We had her a little bit fresh going there, we didn't over-train her going to Cork and thought she'd come on for that, which she did at Gowran Park, and I think she's a filly who can progress throughout the season. She will have a Group campaign.”

Twomey added, “The plan is to race her throughout the year and, if everything went to plan, we might send her to the December Sales if she is not sold beforehand. I think she will end up being traded at some stage.

“She's a nice filly, is well-bred, and showed a nice level of form before joining us. She showed an ability to quicken when winning at Toulouse, came from the back of the field to win a Stakes race quite readily, so we said we'd roll the dice on her.”

La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}), who mowed down Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Blandford S. at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend last season, the recent Moyglare Stud-owned addition Just Beautiful (GB) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) and French Claim (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}) are others that Twomey is quietly hopeful about this term.

He said, “La Petite Coco is in great form and we purposely didn't run her in the first half of the season. She will probably start her season off in the Munster Oaks at Cork and her owners would like to have a tilt at the Breeders' Cup later in the year. The Pretty Polly and the Yorkshire Oaks could also be on her radar. We'll keep her to fillies' races for the first part of the campaign and if we have a good time we could look at taking on the colts at some stage.

“Just Beautiful has settled in well but, again, we're looking towards the second half of the season with her. She's a nice addition to the team and is training well.”

Twomey added, “French Claim will be aimed at the St Leger. He won well at Cork on soft ground and we ran him in a Derby trial as connections were keen to explore the Epsom option but that faster ground didn't play to his strengths. He likes an ease in the ground and will be aimed at Doncaster.”

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Limiti Di Greccio And Inspiral To Miss Irish 1000 Guineas

Limiti Di Greccio (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) and Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), both of whom held prominent positions in the betting for Sunday's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, have been ruled out of making their respective seasonal return in the Curragh Classic.

Paddy Twomey, who trains Limiti Di Greccio, told TDN Europe that his hugely exciting filly will be aimed at races in the autumn after she encountered “a small training problem” while connections of G1 winning 2-year-old Inspiral are charting a path towards the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot with their charge.

Inspiral failed to sparkle in a key gallop under Frankie Dettori on Saturday, after which, her joint-trainer John Gosden advised connections to skip the Irish 1000 Guineas and wait for Royal Ascot.

Speaking on Monday, Cheveley Park's Chris Richardson said, “She's not going to Ireland. John's recommendation is let's go straight to Royal Ascot for the Coronation Stakes.”

Inspiral, unbeaten in four starts as a 2-year-old, with that brilliant juvenile campaign culminating with G1 Fillies' Mile glory at Newmarket, was also ruled out of the 1,000 Guineas last month with Richardson explaining at the time that the filly had not been “100 per cent straightforward” in the spring.

Connections are now concentrating on having Inspiral in top shape ahead of the Royal meeting.

Richardson added, “Frankie had a sit on her on Saturday and just felt we needed a little bit more time, so we'll give her that and hopefully have her cherry-ripe and spot on for the Royal meeting.”

Time is also what Limiti Di Greccio needs, according to Twomey, who pointed to the G1 Matron Stakes in the autumn as being the new target for Martin Schwarz-owned filly.

Twomey said, “She picked up a minor training setback and is not ready to run at the Curragh on Sunday.”

He added, “The plan is to train her with a view towards the second half of the season where races like the Matron Stakes could be targeted.”

In the absence of Limiti Di Greccio and Inspiral, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Dermot Weld's Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), herself having skipped Newmarket and more recently ParisLongchamp, are general 5-2 joint-favourites for the Irish 1000 Guineas.

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Limiti Di Greccio will miss Irish 1,000 Guineas

The Irish 1000 Guineas will come too soon for Limiti Di Greccio (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), according to trainer Paddy Twomey, who is concentrating on the second half of the season with the exciting filly after she picked up “a minor training setback”. 

Limiti Di Greccio, winner of the Listed Staffordstown Stud S. last season, had been as short as 15-2 to provide Twomey with a breakthrough Classic success at the Curragh on Sunday.

Twomey explained, “She picked up a minor training setback and is not ready to run at the Curragh on Sunday.”

He added, “The plan is to train her with a view towards the second half of the season where races like the Matron Stakes could be targeted.”

The Tipperary-based trainer may be without Limiti Di Greccio at the Curragh on Guineas weekend but Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is firmly on course to fly the flag for the yard in the G2 Lanwades Stud S on the same day. 

Pearls Galore was beaten just a neck in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown last season before chasing home Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp and Twomey is hoping to achieve top-level success with the 5-year-old at some stage during the campaign.

He said, “Pearls Galore will run in the Lanwades Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday. That has been the plan since she won at Leopardstown on her return and she has been kept in training with the distinct aim of winning a Group 1. This looks the logical next step and then I'd be hopeful of targeting Group 1s for the rest of the year with her.”

On future plans, Twomey added, “She's in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot but I don't fancy taking on Baaeed with a filly so I'd say the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, the Falmouth Stakes, the Prix Rothschild and even the Prix Maurice de Gheest, races like that could suit. Any of those mile or seven-furlong Group races, she could be aimed at those.”

Rumbles Of Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) maintained the strong start to the season for the stable in carrying Twomey's own white and green colours to victory on just her second start for the trainer in the Listed McCalmont Memorial S. at Gowran Park last month.

A Listed winner in France last term, Rumbles Of Thunder was picked up privately by Twomey, who shared that Group races will be on the agenda before a possible appearance at the December Mares Sale at Tattersalls.

He said, “Rumbles Of Thunder was very good at Gowran Park. We had her a little bit fresh going there, we didn't over-train her going to Cork and thought she'd come on for that, which she did at Gowran Park, and I think she's a filly who can progress throughout the season. She will have a Group campaign.”

Twomey added, “The plan is to race her throughout the year and, if everything went to plan, we might send her to the December Sales if she is not sold beforehand. I think she will end up being traded at some stage.

“She's a nice filly, is well-bred, and showed a nice level of form before joining us. She showed an ability to quicken when winning at Toulouse, came from the back of the field to win a Stakes race quite readily, so we said we'd roll the dice on her.”

La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}), who mowed down Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Blandford S. at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend last season, the recent Moyglare Stud-owned addition Just Beautiful (GB) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) and French Claim (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}) are others that Twomey is quietly hopeful about this term. 

He said, “La Petite Coco is in great form and we purposely didn't run her in the first half of the season. She will probably start her season off in the Munster Oaks at Cork and her owners would like to have a tilt at the Breeders' Cup later in the year. The Pretty Polly and the Yorkshire Oaks could also be on her radar. We'll keep her to fillies' races for the first part of the campaign and if we have a good time we could look at taking on the colts at some stage. 

“Just Beautiful has settled in well but, again, we're looking towards the second half of the season with her. She's a nice addition to the team and is training well.”

Twomey added, “French Claim will be aimed at the St Leger. He won well at Cork on soft ground and we ran him in a Derby trial as connections were keen to explore the Epsom option but that faster ground didn't play to his strengths. He likes an ease in the ground and will be aimed at Doncaster.”

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