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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

Twomey filly very impressive in Cork feature

Sat 7th Aug 2021, 17:43

La Petite Coco and Billy Lee 
La Petite Coco and Billy Lee
© Photo Healy Racing

The 2/1 favourite La Petite Coco lit up the meeting at Cork when routing her rivals in the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes.

Billy Lee tracked the leaders on the daughter of Ruler Of The World before sending her to the front over a quarter of a mile from home. She was quickly clear and the race was for minor honours only from the furlong pole as she came five and a half lengths to the good.

Three horse flashed by the post together as they fought for second place, with Thunder Kiss (11/4) winning that contest by a head and a short head from stablemates Federica Sophia (9/1) and Amma Grace

It was a third success, and a first in Stakes company, for the Team Valor-owned winner.

Winning trainer Paddy Twomey said: “We've had her since April and she has not put a foot wrong.

"I was very keen to go to Killarney the last day for experience when the chance was there - the owners wanted to go straight into Group company but I talked them out of it and I'm glad now we did.

"She is progressing physically and is enjoying training and has plenty of talent.

"She has plenty of entries and I said after Killarney that the EP Taylor is a possible target, but I have her in the Champion Fillies and Mares race in Ascot in October and the Prix Vermeillle is in France for her also.

"She is versatile ground-wise and while she has to step up past Group 3, I think 1m4f is no problem to her, although she has the pace for 10 furlongs.

"I was hoping she'd do something like that."

Quotes from Thomas Weekes

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.