La Petite Coco and Billy Lee hold off My Astra© Photo Healy Racing
La Petite Coco proved very gutsy at the death to claim the Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly at the Curragh this afternoon, giving trainer Paddy Twomey his first Group 1 victory.
The Ruler Of The World filly was making her seasonal debut in the ten furlong contest today and was easy to back, going to post a 9/1 shot.
She tracked the leaders in the €300,000 contest before Billy Lee asked her to pick up front-runner Lyrical Poetry a furlong-and-a-half from home.
11/4 favourite My Astra emerged as a big danger at the furlong pole, along with the winner's stablemate Rosscarbery
La Petite Coco dug really deep in the closing stages, however, to hold off the market leader by half a length.
The joy of a first Group 1 winner was slightly tainted for Twomey however with his other runner Rosscarbery disqualified post race having initially finished a length-and-a-quarter back in third.
Wayne Lordan was found to have weighed in almost 5lb light but there were serious question marks raised about the weighing out procedure afterwards. Thunder Kiss was promoted to third.
“To be honest I couldn't see her being beaten coming here,” said Twomey of the winner afterwards.
“The level she showed last year to beat Love and the winner of this race (Thundering Nights), I didn't enter her in the Arc for fun. I think she's top class.
“We decided, Barry and I, that we'd start her campaign in the middle of the year with a view to the second half.
“She didn't have a run but I don't think it matters to her.
“Rosscarbery was third as well and she ran a very good race. She's progressing and I couldn't split them as I knew the two of them were in good form.
“It's great and that's why we get up and try and do it. We're lucky that people like Barry have sent us some good horses.
“We planned to start it here. The Yorkshire Oaks is something we'll consider, the Fillies and Mare at Ascot, the Arc, the Breeders Cup maybe and Hong Kong. That sort of line up.
“We were keen to start at home, we didn't really want to travel for her first run.
“William Haggas is a good friend of mine and we pre-trained for him. Then I decided three or four years ago to really give training a go. We did it first in my own colours with a permit.
“I had confidence in the two fillies and I was hoping the two of them would run good races.
“If I had to be beaten it would have been okay to be beaten by William but I would rather have won!”
Barry Irwin, of owners Team Valor, added:-
“He's a fantastic trainer. When we bought the filly we sent her directly to Paddy, we had good hopes but we didn't know that she was this good.
“Today I thought that if she really is as good as he thinks we could win it but I can't believe she hung in there, at the end she was running on fumes. She's a gutsy horse.
“I've backed off from racing in the United State, I'm not happy with it there. I think it will getting better but we've had some issues with guys taking an edge.
“I have a lot more faith in what's going on here and it's more fun. Ive been coming here since 1971, raced a few horses and we've decided to send a few more over here.
“Our partners enjoy it, I've got 12 people here right now on a trip. We went to Paddy's yesterday and now we're going to England and France. I'm trying to promote to have more racing over here.
“I've just a few with Paddy but I'm sure we'll have more.”
Niall Cronin, Communications Manager for the IHRB, explained the reasons behind the disqualification of the third home, Rosscarbery:-
“Basically Wayne Lordan weighed out at 138.1and weighed back in at 133.5. As a result there was an enquiry into the weighing-in procedures of the third placed horse.
“As per Rule 231, section 1, the horse had to be disqualified. The Stewards have referred the matter on for further investigation. Mr Twomey is aware of that.”
Twomey later added when asked about the weighing out of his two runners:-
"I was getting the two saddles. Billy weighed out first and he weighed out fine. He gave me the saddle. Wayne was inside and he got on the scales and the clerk of the scales told him that he was 5lb too heavy.
"He made him take down the saddle and take out the weights and then get back on the scales. So he did that and the clerk of the scales then cleared him. He weighed him out with the correct weight and sent him out to the race.
"Then when he came back the clerk of the scales told him he was 5lb light. I brought the saddle from the weighing room to the filly and put it on.
"I was under pressure for time as I had two runners and they took a lot of time messing around, putting in weight and taking out weight. But he weighed out and was given the okay by the clerk of the scales, who said he had the correct weight. Then, when he weighed back in, he was told he was 5lb light.
"The same saddle that went out came back in and I guess we will have to appeal it. It's a glitch with the clerk of the scales, it's an issue with the IHRB and I'd say my owner won't be impressed.
"I'm just telling you what I saw, I wasn't happy because we were delayed."
