Summer success has trainer Paddy Twomey dreaming big

His training base on the edge of the village of Golden in west Tipperary is bathed in autumnal colours at this time of year, but at this time of year Paddy Twomey doesn't have much time to take in the scenery.

In the closing stages of a campaign which saw this trainer record his first Group 1 success, courtesy of La Petite Coco in the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh back in early summer, he's looking forwards and anticipating further black type in the coming weeks and months.

That could well continue this weekend, Longines Champions Weekend, at Leopardstown and the Curragh, when Twomey has more than a few lively contenders across the star-stacked cards.

In the decade since Champions Weekend was born and during which it's already become one of the pinnacles of the European flat calendar, the big races, the group prizes, have gone to the top stables from both home and abroad and few are the top trainers who haven't yet tasted success at its table.

But there's also room for the up-and-coming yards, those whose names may not trip off the tongue of the armchair sports fan but who have earned their places at such fixtures.

"It was fantastic," Twomey says of that day when La Petite Coco won at the top level for his stable's first time. "It was a great day, she's a top filly and it's great that she won her group one. It was a memorable day."

Asked what such a race meant for such a yard, he answers: "Ah look it's huge, it's hard to compete in Ireland, it's hard to compete group one level anywhere and to have horses able to compete at that level on the big stage, it's great for morale and great for everybody here."

Could there be more success on the way?

"Hopefully. We've a great team of horses, they've ran well all year and looking