Twomey will now keep A Lilac Rolla and Purple Lily apart

Molly Hunter
June 6, 2024 11:38 am

Star fillies to go their separate ways after clashing in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

A Lilac Rolla may sidestep Royal Ascot in favour of Group targets elsewhere after her second-placed run in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

The Paddy Twomey-trained Harry Angel filly won both starts as a two-year-old before returning to action at three to take the Priory Belle at Leopardstown on her seasonal debut.

With that Group Three title in the bag, she took her chance in the Curragh Classic, starting at 12-1 under Colin Keane alongside shorter-priced stablemate Purple Lily.

Karl Burke’s Fallen Angel, the 11-4 favourite, bounced back from her disappointing English Guineas effort to land the race, with A Lilac Rolla behind her in second and Purple Lily the fifth-placed horse.

Twomey reports both to have come out of the race in good form and they are now likely to go their separate ways, with differing targets for their next outings.

A Lilac Rolla previously at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA)

A Lilac Rolla holds an entry for the Coronation Cup at Royal Ascot but does not look likely to head in that direction, with the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh and the Prix Rothschild at Deauville both preferred.

“We were very pleased with A Lilac Rolla’s run in the Guineas and she came out of the race very well,” said Twomey.

“She’s in the Coronation but at this stage Ascot would look unlikely, I think maybe something like a Minstrel Stakes or the Prix Rothschild might suit her.”

Prior to Purple Lily’s Guineas run, she was second in the Salsabil Stakes, defeated half a length by Dermot Weld’s Ezeliya, with Noel Meade’s Caught U Looking not far back in fourth.

That form was boosted by Ezeliya subsequently winning the Oaks by three lengths, as Caught U Looking came home fifth, a result that bodes well for Purple Lily ahead of her potential tilt at the Pretty Polly.

Purple Lily and after winning a Galway maiden (Niall Carson/PA)

Twomey said: “Purple Lily came out of the race very well also, something like the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend might just suit her – stepping back up to 10 furlongs.

“Mr Weld’s filly won the Oaks very impressively, it was a good race in Navan, with the fourth horse, Caught U Looking, running a good race in the Oaks too.”

Twomey, who won the Pretty Polly with La Petite Coco in 2022, added: “It’s been a lucky race for us in the past, we’d like to keep that up.”