Twomey outlines Classic target for Limiti De Greccio

La Petite Coco and Pearls Galore also chasing big-race goals.

Paddy Twomey has a trio of high-class fillies with Group and Classic aims on the agenda for the Flat campaign.

Limiti Di Greccio joined Twomey’s yard midway through last term, winning a Leopardstown maiden on her first run for the trainer and then finishing second in the Listed Ingabelle Stakes at the same track in September.

Following that she lined up for the Staffordstown Stud Stakes at the Curragh and was victorious by a length and a quarter despite encountering traffic problems in the latter stages of the race.

The Irish 1,000 Guineas is the primary target for the three-year-old and her trainer is pleased with the progress she has made since last year.

“The plan is for her to have an early-season aim of the Irish 1,000 Guineas, that’s the goal for the first part of her season,” he said.

“She’s a really nice filly, she’s grown and done well over the winter so we’re really looking forward to it.”

Twomey has another exciting filly in La Petite Coco, who was hugely consistent last season when ending a superb campaign with success in both the Group Three Give Thanks Stakes and the Group Two Blandford Stakes – on the latter occasion beating Aidan O’Brien’s dual Classic winner Love.

La Petite Coco will not be seen until the summer as Twomey intends to find a seasonal debut for the four-year-old in May and has a journey to York in mind for the Group Two Middleton Stakes.

“She did well over the winter, I imagine it’ll be May that we would start with her,” he said.

“She might go to York for the Middleton Stakes, we’re looking forward to 2022 with her.

La Petite Coco (right) beating Love in the Blandford Stakes
La Petite Coco (right) beating Love in the Blandford Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA)

“She’s a very good filly, she’s come on physically and we’re very excited about her.”

Last season Twomey’s yard was well-represented overseas by Pearls Galore, who won two Group Three events and was the runner-up in the Group One Matron Stakes on home turf before heading to Longchamp to finish second again in the Prix de la Foret.

A journey further afield to take part in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar ended in a sixth-placed finish, but the mare was far from disgraced when beaten only three lengths from a wide draw.

After playing the bridesmaid role in two races of the highest calibre, Twomey has his eye on Group One glory again as the five-year-old limbers up for another season.

“Pearls Galore stays in training in 2022. Last year she had a great season and she was second in those two Group Ones and ran a good race in the Breeders’ Cup, but I suppose she’s staying in training with the distinct aim of trying to win a Group One,” he said.

“At the Breeders’ Cup she’d a wide draw, she went out in (stall) 10, she’s tough, she’s probably won’t start until May or June and we’ll try her in a Group One again.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet (to a particular race), but she’s in good form and she’s trained well over the winter.”

Of the three of high-calibre fillies in his care, he added: “I’ve been lucky, they’re good horses. They’ve just done everything right since we got them and they’ve been a joy to train.”

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