Latest news with #PaddyTwomey
Irish Examiner
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Field Of Gold tops 12 seeking Irish 2,000 Guineas crown
Ante-post favourite Field Of Gold is among 12 confirmations for the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday. John and Thady Gosden's colt came with a wet sail in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket but could not catch Ruling Court. It was confirmed on Monday that multiple Irish champion jockey Colin Keane will take the ride this weekend. Field Of Gold is owned by Juddmonte, who have an incredibly strong hand in the Classic with Harry Charlton's unbeaten Cosmic Year and possibly Windlord lining up. Aidan O'Brien has saddled 12 winners of the race, with Churchill (2017) and Paddington (2023) triumphing in the last 10 years. He could field Tetrarch Stakes winner Officer, along with Expanded, Serengeti and Trinity College. But Twain, a Group One winner last year who missed Newmarket following a dirty scope, has not been supplemented. Jessica Harrington's Hotazhell, a late scratch from the French Guineas due to quickening ground, is set to make his seasonal reappearance, while Rashabar, second to Jonquil in the Greenham, is on target for Brian Meehan. Scorthy Champ, seventh at Newmarket, Donnacha O'Brien's Commanche Brave and Paddy Twomey's Currawood complete the list of possibles. Meanwhile, Chris Hayes is looking forward to riding the unbeaten Swelter for Dermot Weld and Juddmonte in Sunday's Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh. The Kingman filly won her only started at two over a mile at Leopardstown and then showed plenty of speed when dropping down to seven furlongs to hold off Exactly in a Group Three on her return, with that rival subsequently beaten just over a length in the French Guineas. "We're still a few days away and I'll have a sit on her in the week, we'll obviously be conscious of the weather," said Hayes. "The form of her trial has worked out well, she's an exciting filly. "She had one start last year and was impressive in that. It was nice to see her drop back a furlong and quicken up in the manner she did off a fast pace, in a race where the form has really worked out with the third, fourth and fifth all running well since. "I'm very much looking forward to it." There is a strong challenge from the UK to overcome, with Ollie Sangster leaving in both Flight and Simmering, second and third to Desert Flower in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. Archie Watson could also run Duty First, so impressive in the Fred Darling but a disappointment in the Classic. Donnacha O'Brien has supplemented his unbeaten filly Atsila while his father Aidan still has four of the 14 in contention including Lake Victoria, sixth on her seasonal return at Newmarket after a stellar juvenile campaign. Royal Ascot winner Bedtime Story, Exactly and January could also run. Paddy Twomey's City of Memphis, winner of her only start, is another supplementary entry while Adrian Murray has two possibles in California Dreamer and Jaliyah. Cercene and Tamam Desert have also been confirmed.
RTÉ News
17-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Navan victor Carmers heading for Queen's Vase
Paddy Twomey's Carmers continued to impress when booking his Queen's Vase ticket with victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Yeats Stakes at Navan. The Wootton Bassett colt won on debut just over a week ago, taking a Ballinrobe maiden by a length and a quarter with the rest of the field well strung out behind him and the runner-up. He started as the 6-4 favourite under Billy Lee when stepping up to Listed level on his second start, tackling the same one-mile-five-furlong trip in a field of seven. Again the bay showed his class, racing prominently throughout and easily shaking off all challengers to secure a three-length victory from Adrian Murray's What's Your Game. Twomey said: "I was very happy with the way he did it in Ballinrobe. He's a horse that just does what he has to do, hence the headgear (blinkers). "I thought he would run a good race (in Ballinrobe) and I thought he would finish the race well. I thought he would be in the (first) three. He surprised me maybe just how well he won at the line, he won comfortably and Donagh (O'Connor) said he had to go down the back straight to pull him up. "He came home, licked the pot, rode out this week, didn't care and I said to Billy 'I'm going to put him in the Yeats and see what happens'. As the week went on, it became clear that he was ready to go. "We were keen today to get a lead, we knew we'd stay and ordinarily we might have jumped and made it, but he's a horse that I don't think would like to be in front too long. "When he went to the front I was a little bit concerned but, to be fair to him, he picked up and rallied. He's keeping plenty for himself, I'd say there's plenty in him. "He has ability but he is just like the trainer – he does what he has to do! "I said it to the owner there, that race (Queen's Vase) in Royal Ascot is probably the right race for him. He's a stayer and he has enough experience to go to a race like that. "I was thrilled when Fiona (Carmichael, owner) asked us to train the first for her a couple of years ago and she kindly sent me on this horse. She has been very patient with me. He trained very well all last year without being asked any question. He has trained well this spring and is two for two in eight days." Earlier on the card there were two notable winners for Aidan O'Brien, firstly in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over six furlongs. Gstaad, a half-brother to Vandeek, was the horse who came home in front, striking by three-quarters of a length on debut to find himself entered into the Coventry Stakes market at 10-1 with Paddy Power. O'Brien's other winner, and another horse throwing his hat in the ring for Royal Ascot, was the €2.2million purchase Seattle. Winner of the five-furlong Navan Racecourse Maiden by a length and a quarter, the colt is now a 25-1 chance for the Commonwealth Cup with both Paddy Power and Betfair.
Irish Examiner
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Beset and McDonogh battle back to give Joseph O'Brien third Sligo Fillies handicap victory in five years
Joseph O'Brien saddled first and third with stable debutants in the €30,000 Irish Stallion farms EBF Fillies Handicap in Sligo as Declan McDonogh extricated Beset from trouble on the inside to pounce late for victory over Fratas and Lemsairbat. Formerly trained by Henry Candy in England and carrying the 'Lady Of the Lamp' colours, the Expert Eye filly swooped to give her trainer a third win in the event in five years. McDonogh explained, "I was caught in traffic and needed luck and I had no other option but to go down the inside. I loved her attitude — she wanted to get into the gap and quickened through it nicely. "Today was all about learning about her and, hopefully, she'll progress from here. We went a hell of a gallop and she couldn't go early, but she came home well, so stepping up to a mile and a half shouldn't be a problem." The long trip from Golden to Sligo paid off for Paddy Twomey as €150,000 Arqana Breeze-Up purchase Ceo Stealth Mode made a successful debut in the Median Auction maiden. Backed into 8/11 favourite, Billy Lee's mount overcame his inexperience, coming from off the pace and ultimately, scoring, going away, by four lengths from market rival Chester Nimitz. Ceo Stealth Mode and Billy Lee win for owners Bond Thoroughbred Limited and trainer Paddy Twomey. Picture: Healy Racing "It's hard to win around here first time out, but he's a nice colt,' explained Twomey, 'He's learning on the job and that trip (an abbreviated six furlongs) would be a minimum for him. He'll go out in trip and we'll try to find a suitable winners race for him." Trainer Danny Murphy continued his impressive early-season strike-rate when Agouti Bear (Jamie Powell) dictated the pace and ran on strongly to beat Shoney by two and a half lengths in the Download The Tote App Fillies Maiden. "She's a nice filly, but has her quirks,' said Murphy, 'She dropped Jamie at the start, bit did her job well in the race. I had her sold after her first win, but the lads (the Kildare Racing Syndicate/Brogue (Taum) Racing Club) changed their mind — I 've had three horses for them and they've all won." "I'll enter this filly for a six-furlong handicap in Naas on Saturday, although I'll be entering two others as well." Gegenpressing will reappear in today's 5.20 at the Curragh in the wake of his narrow win, from an outside draw, under Chris Hayes (lost his whip) in the six-furlong Tote Never Beaten By SP Handicap. Trained by Eddie and Patrick Harty, the seven-year-old was repeating last year's win in the 0-60 handicap and recording his third course and distance success. Patrick Harty commented, "He's become a bit of a family pet and is a great lead horse at home. He does what he wants, but Sligo seems to be just right for him. The plan has always been to run again tomorrow — Jessica (O'Gorman) will ride him." Apprentice Keithen Kennedy took the riding honours, registering a double on Pat Fahy's You Make Me Smile, for a local syndicate, in the Apprentice Handicap and the Jessica Harrington-trained Birdie Time, a convincing winner of the finale, the APEX Controls Ltd. Handicap. Read More Jade De Grugy too good for Brightersdaysahead in Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown
