PADDY Twomey believes City Of Memphis is a Group 1 filly, after his lightly-raced four-year-old made it three from three this season in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes under Billy Lee.

Bought by Twomey with Mark McStay’s Avenue Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale for €380,000, the Zinlo Syndicate-owned bay missed her juvenile campaign, but made a smart debut the following May.

Fifth next time out in the Irish 1000 Guineas, she returned last month to win at Gowran Park and followed up in the Group 3 Mutamakina Stakes two weeks ago.

The 7/4 joint-favourite settled in midfield and was asked to quicken two furlongs from home. Narrowing the leader’s advantage all the while, City Of Memphis ran on to score by a length, completing a group double for Sioux Nation.

Longtime leader Carolina Jetstream outran odds of 66/1 in second, while unlucky British raider Stateira took third, half a length ahead of the Twomey’s returning One Look. Billy Lee was landing the Group 2 for a sixth time, while it was Twomey’s third triumph. “I like this race as it is a suitable one for the type of filly we train,” the trainer said.

Despite the filly’s fine form of late, Twomey is reluctant to back her up again soon, he added: “She won’t go to Ascot, but I’ll be looking at races like the Prix Maurice De Gheest, Prix Rothschild, the Matron [Stakes], as well as the Breeders’ Cup Mile; those kind of races.”

Alan O’Flynn, whose family make up the Zinlo Syndicate, added: “We dream of days like this; it doesn’t always work, so we’re delighted.”