Purple Lily proves significant potential in Naas triumph

The Calyx filly is now unbeaten in two runs.

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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