Leading 1,000 Guineas hope One Look set to skip Newmarket in favour of Irish equivalent at the Curragh

The unbeaten One Look, a general 8-1 shot for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas, is set to miss the Newmarket Classic with Paddy Twomey favouring a crack at the Irish equivalent at the Curragh later in May.

Twomey has sent out five winners from his first 11 runners this season and One Look was among those when she justified skimpy odds of 1-20 in a median auction race over seven furlongs at Cork late last month. 

The reason she was so short that day was because of a sparkling debut last autumn in the Goffs Million at the Curragh, where she burst clear under Billy Lee to beat the smart Cherry Blossom by six lengths and earn a Racing Post Rating of 106. 

One Look has been touted as a leading contender for the 1,000 Guineas all winter, but Twomey is happy to stay at home and head to the Curragh on May 26 instead. She is likely to have a prep beforehand. 

Twomey said: "My thinking is that she won't go to Newmarket. She'll stay in Ireland and either go for the Athasi Stakes or more likely the Cornelscourt Stakes at Leopardstown with a view to going to the Irish Guineas. I'd like to educate her a bit more and don't want to land her into the English Guineas just now. 

"I'm not in a rush to head off to England and give her a grueller. I've taken steps with her and I'd like to take the next step with her career in mind. There are only 13 Group 1s in Ireland and I'd like to win one of them."

The trainer added: "She won the Goffs Million last year and I didn't feel I had to run her again afterwards. I wanted her to have a bit of an education, so we took her to Cork a few weeks ago and she was just ready to run."

One Look's three-length win was pleasing enough. "The ground wasn't what she was looking for, but she did what we hoped she would do," said Twomey. "I had a 1-6 favourite beaten before and she was 1-20, so I just wanted the race to be over. She went and did it and that was a good educational day out for her. 

"I think she needs faster ground. I know it wasn't fast ground when she won the Goffs Million, but the way she accelerated makes me think she'll be better on better ground. I think she'll get a mile and even further than that. She's light on her feet and athletic."

A Lilac Rolla (near side): Group 3 Priory Belle winner set to go for the Irish 1,000 GuineasCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

One Look is likely to be joined in the Irish 1,000 Guineas by stablemate A Lilac Rolla, who has won all three starts and landed her latest success at Group 3 level at Leopardstown in the Priory Belle Stakes. 

Twomey said: "I was very happy with how she did it in the Guineas trial at Leopardstown. She had two good runs last year and backed that up. She's entered in France and not at Newmarket, but I'd say the Irish 1,000 Guineas is where she'll go. 

"She won in spite of the heavy ground at Leopardstown. She's a classy filly. She had every chance to curl up at Leopardstown but she was brave."

A new addition to the Twomey yard this season is Seamie Heffernan, who has left Ballydoyle to go freelance. 

Twomey said: "We're very lucky to have somebody of Seamie's experience coming in here. To have someone with his knowledge, who has ridden so many good horses and in so many top races, is always a help. We're lucky to have a strong team of jockeys and Seamie brings a lot in terms of experience."

Lee remains Twomey's undisputed number one, though, and he would love to make him champion jockey this season having gone so close in 2023. 

The trainer said: "Billy has the talent and ability to be champion. He's the same fella as the first day I met him. He rode my first winner and I've known him for a long time. We have a good relationship and I trust him. 

"When he goes out to ride one of mine, I'm relaxed. We have a mutual understanding of what we're trying to achieve. I'm privileged that he rides for me and not somebody else."

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