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La Petite Coco heading to Ascot for first race outside Ireland
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The Qipco British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes will be the destination for La Petite Coco
The Qipco British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes will be the destination for La Petite Coco

Connections of La Petite Coco have confirmed their charge will now head to Ascot for the Qipco British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes after her win at the Curragh.

The three-year-old made it three wins on the spin on Sunday as she kept Aidan O'Brien's Love at bay during the Group Two Moyglare 'Jewels' Blandford Stakes.

 Love had looked destined to win in the closing stages but Paddy Twomey's stable star got up in time to record a famous victory. 

After making her debut in November at the Curragh, La Petite Coco has now won five races but she has yet to leave Ireland. 

Connections have no fear though, with next month's mile-and-a half Group One at Ascot on the agenda.

Twomey and his team are also lining up a trip to the USA should she run well, with the Breeders' Cup Maker's Mark Filly And Mare Turf at Del Mar in early November also in their sights. 

Confirming their plans, Barry Irwin, founder and chief executive of owners Team Valor, said: "Ascot is the plan. 

"Paddy set the schedule up a couple of months ago, and right now, we don't see any reason to waiver from it.

La Petite Coco is being readied for a run at Ascot racecourse
La Petite Coco is being readied for a run at Ascot racecourse

"The only question mark coming up is if she performs well there whether we go for the Breeders' Cup. Most of my partners are from the United States, and to go for the Breeders' Cup would be meaningful. 

"The ground yesterday was good. The jockey Billy Lee said she doesn't want it any harder than that. She prefers cut in the ground. 

"I'm from California — and during that time of year at Del Mar, rain is not very likely, so we are going to take it one step at a time and see what she does next. 

"We will think about it, and we are going to keep her in training next year." 

O'Brien's Snowfall currently leads the betting for the Qipco British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes but she was beaten in the Group One Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp by Teona. 

Teona had finished 28 lengths behind Snowfall at Epsom in June but she overturned that Classic form and October's race looks like it could be one of the highlights of the year. 

As well as La Petite Coco, Snowfall and Teona, Free Wind, Tarnawa, Love, Alpinista and Albaflora are all well fancied for one of the feature races at Ascot.

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