Based at Athassel House in Golden, County Tipperary, Paddy Twomey stands out as one of Ireland’s most exciting flat racing trainers. Born in Cork, Paddy's horseracing journey began early—he bred his first Group 1 winner from a mare bought with his Communion money at just 13 years old.

Journey to Training

A graduate of the pinhooking business, Paddy initially trained under a restricted license, but success came quickly, and it wasn’t long before he started making an impression on Irish Racing.

Having entered training initially on a restricted license in 2012, his first winner came just days later when Hunting Goddess scored at Dundalk with Billy Lee aboard. He gained a full license in 2016 and has steadily evolved his stable—initially a stud farm without a gallop—into a purpose-built facility where quality is paramount

Performance & Statistics

• From 2019 to 2024, Twomey accounted for only 1% of Irish Flat runners, yet earned 8% of the country’s Black-Type wins—a testament to selective excellence.

• Since 2018, he has consistently maintained a strike rate of ≥ 23%, often outperforming larger stables. In 2023, he achieved a 30% win rate with 31 winners from 105 runs, and earned over €1 million in winnings.

• Despite a smaller string, he has finished in the top five of the Irish Trainers’ Championship for multiple consecutive seasons.

Notable Horses & Major Wins

Paddy has trained several high-calibre performers:

• Sonaiyla: first Group-winning horse

• La Petite Coco: Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner in 2022, and highest-rated older mare in Ireland

• Pearls Galore: Group 1 Matron Stakes winner in 2022, further establishing Paddy at the top level

• One Look: Goffs Million winner on debut & multiple Group level winner

• Carmers: Unbeaten winner of the Queen’s Vase Stakes at Royal Ascot

Other distinguished performers include Rosscarbery, Just Beautiful, Purple Lily, Deepone, Rumbles Of Thunder, Treasure Trove, A Lilac Rolla and many more.

Philosophy: Quality Over Quantity

• Paddy’s philosophy centers on precision, not volume: less runners than other major stables, but consistently high quality performances.

• By focusing on a smaller number of horses, Paddy is able to get the maximum level of performance out of every horse in his stable.