'You'd think I was mad' - Paddy Twomey eyeing top prize for Love conqueror Coco

Ascot and Arc day are on the horizon for Paddy Twomey's brightest stars as the trainer sets his sights on making the breakthrough at Group 1 level following a memorable Irish Champions Weekend.

Twomey notched his first Group 2 success when La Petite Coco chinned dual Classic heroine Love in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday, while Pearls Galore was only beaten a neck in the Group 1 Matron Stakes and Limiti Di Greccio also performed heroically in second in the Listed Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Buoyed by his best weekend in racing, Twomey has outlined Group 1 aspirations for his classy ladies, headlined by La Petite Coco, who is bound for Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot on October 16.

Twomey said: "To beat Love at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend, if I told you back in March that I'd do that with a filly who had the profile that she had at the time, you'd think I was mad. It was a good weekend.

"It's been a good season and the horses are doing what we hoped they'd do. I love competition and it's great to have horses that can compete at that level. To have three of them that could go out there on Irish Champions Weekend, hit the line strong and run very good races, it gave me great pleasure."

He added: "It's been the plan all year to finish up in the Fillies and Mares at Ascot with La Petite Coco. We've been working backwards from that to be honest so that would be the most likely target for her now."

Paddy Twomey on Billy Lee: 'He is of the top, top calibre'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Twomey heaped praise on jockey Billy Lee for his brilliance in the saddle on Sunday. Lee has been by his side since he started training less than a decade ago.

He said: "Billy is a world-class rider. He gave La Petite Coco a fantastic ride and, in the last 75 yards or so he put the stick down and rode her out hands and heels. He is of the top, top calibre."

Pears Galore is likely to head to France on Arc weekend next while Limiti Di Greccio could stay on home shores for her next start. However, both fillies could end up finishing their respective campaigns in America.

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He said: "Pearls Galore is likely to head for the Prix de la Foret now, but if it was very soft ground she wouldn't go. She's French-bred, her owners live in France and I think she's earned a crack at the race. There's a lot of reasons to go there and she could go to America after that, but we'll take it one step at a time.

"Limiti Di Greccio could go for the Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh or else the Silken Glider Stakes next. She met with interference in the Ingabelle and was inconvenienced by the loose horse. Any interference at that level is not ideal, but she ran a very good race and showed courage coming up the straight.

"She could also go for the Breeders' Cup. Her owner [Martin Schwartz] would be very keen to have a runner there, for sure. She has a lot of size and scope and will make a better three-year-old."

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