Deepone Return A Boost For Twomey – But The Trainer Blasts ‘Disgraceful’ Irish Prize-Money

[Wandering Eyes]

Paddy Twomey's squad has been bolstered by the return of one-time leading Derby prospect Deepone (Ire) (Study Of Man {Ire}), with the trainer hinting at having assembled his strongest-ever team of horses for the year ahead. 

Talented sprinter King Cuan (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) is another older horse who is reported to be back training well while Donagh O'Connor has joined the stable as second jockey behind Billy Lee.

However, Twomey admitted to becoming increasingly frustrated by what he describes as 'disgraceful' levels of prize-money in Irish racing, and backed up similar points made by his Golden-based neighbour and trainer Fozzy Stack in the TDN on Monday as well as fellow handlers Ger Lyons and Johnny Murtagh in these pages previously.

Twomey said, “I think the prize-money in this country is an absolute disgrace. What we're running around for in Ireland is a joke. Even looking at the winter all-weather programme in Ireland, it's not fit for purpose. You can't even a prepare a horse in this country over the winter for races in Dubai or wherever.”

The total prize-money budget in Ireland for 2025 is €70.9m, which is up €1m on the overall prize-money that was paid out last year. On the Flat, Listed races have been increased to a minimum of €45,000 [from €37,500] with the winner of such races seeing just over €20,000 of that purse after deductions which, according to Stack, 'wouldn't feed a horse for a half a year.'

Twomey's main gripe is with the value of Irish maidens with the trainer saying he feels the level of prize-money being offered for such races is far from sufficient given the level of competition. 

“Some of the best horses in the world are in training in Ireland and they are racing for buttons.”

He explained, “Our level of racing makes it very hard to win, therefore, in my opinion you should be very well-rewarded when you do. It takes a very good horse to win in Ireland. I mean, if you win an Irish maiden, you're pretty much stakes-class and that is internationally recognised, therefore it means that you can be sold to another jurisdiction quite well. 

“But the prize-money for doing that is not up to scratch. The Curragh makes a song and a dance about having a €20,000 maiden-you're still only getting €11,000 as the winner. It's very expensive to purchase these horses for a start and that's not even talking about the expense involved in having them in training.”

Twomey added, “To go to an Irish track where the prize fund is just over €10,000 and then it's only €6,000 or €7,000 to the winner, that's a hard sell to an owner who is investing heavily in the game. Some of the best horses in the world are in training in Ireland and they are racing for buttons. It's not like we have an extensive programme, either. It needs to be looked at. The fact that sales companies feel the need to supplement prize-money to the extent that they do highlights the terrible state that we are in. It's a very poor reflection on the funding structure that's in place and it's going to be detrimental to us in the future.”

Twomey accumulated €694,860 in prize-money during the turf season in Ireland throughout 2024 [down from €1,463,795 in 2023] which made him the eighth-biggest earner within the training ranks. His tally of 19 winners included five at Listed level and one Group 3 while A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) and Purple Lily (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) were placed in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Irish Oaks respectively. 

Yet, the trainer's statistics were questioned in some corners of the media and Twomey himself admitted to being unsatisfied with the number of winners he had amassed in an interview with Racing TV midway during the season. However, he now describes some of the criticism that was levelled his way as “white noise”, and points to the fact that he has concentrated the majority of his resources into later-maturing, quality middle-distance types, which goes some way in explaining why he sent out just two winners from 22 juvenile runners in 2024. To that extent, Twomey says he has a large number of unraced three-year-olds that excite him.

Paddy Twomey | Zuzanna Lupa

He said, “I would be surprised if we were involved in the early Classics because I didn't run many two-year-olds last year and, what I did run, they wouldn't scream at being precocious enough to be involved in a Guineas. We've a very nice group of unraced three-year-olds to go to war with. Obviously some of them have run, but a significant number of our Oaks and Derby entries did not run last year. We also have a strong team of older horses to complement what appears to be a nice bunch of two-year-olds so I think it's a good group. We're always trying to grow and to try and get the best calibre of horse into the yard that we can and we can't do that without the owners so we appreciate all of the support that we do get.”

New additions include the Listed-winning Magical Hope (GB) (Frankel {GB}), bought out of the Godolphin draft at Arqana for €500,000 last year and Prix de Diane sixth Bubble Gum (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}) while Twomey has Group 1 aspirations this year for stable star Purple Lily.

“The plan is to win a Group 1 with her [Purple Lily] if we can. She has shown Group 1 level of ability and she is a fine, big strong mare. One Look (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) could start in the Park Express Stakes, Beechwood (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}) could go for the Noblesse Stakes while Deepone and King Cuan are back on the team. Deepone suffered a minor setback after he was fourth in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown and unfortunately that ruled him out for the rest of the season. He won the Beresford Stakes as a two-year-old and we were looking forward to a Classic campaign with him last year. But the tiny setback at Leopardstown put paid to that. 

“He's back looking great and is ready to start–he could go for something like the Alleged Stakes at the Curragh in a couple of weeks' time. We genuinely thought he could have been a Derby horse last year. Study Of Man is a stallion I was keen to buy the stock of from the start and the only one I managed to buy was Deepone. I haven't been able to buy another one since so hopefully we can have a good year with him! He hasn't run at all as a three-year-old–I just wasn't pleased with him in the spring and we never worked him, we just gave him the summer off. He's back with us and is training great. He's now a gelding and, if everything went to plan, he could go for the Cork Stakes on April 6.”

Twomey added, “Billy Lee is obviously here and Donagh O'Connor is a new addition to us. He's going to ride number two to Billy and we're delighted to have him on the team. I think Donagh is a fabulous rider and is someone I have had my eye on for a while. We actually had the conversation in the past and it just didn't come into place until this winter when I asked him if he would have any interest in joining us for a couple of days a week. We've got to the size now where we need a number two. I think Donagh is underappreciated for the level of skill that he has and I am hoping that we have a good association together.”

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