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Irish Examiner
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Townend picks up where he left off with Tipperary success
Crowned champion jockey for the seventh time at Punchestown last Saturday, Paul Townend made a perfect start to the new season when scoring on board his first mount of the 2025-2026 campaign, Gold Dancer, in the Hotel Minella Beginners Chase in Tipperary. The Gigginstown-owned, Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old, raced prominently, jumped soundly in the main, and, in the closing stages, saw off Le Coq Hardi by four lengths. 'He's been so disappointing, but had a run over fences,' said Townend. 'Chasing was always going to be his game. He makes lengths over his fences and it'll take a good novice to lie up with him. I'd say we'll keep going with him.' Townend was expected to complete a double for the Closutton team on You Oughta Know in the Ryans Cleaning beginners Chase. However, the 11-8 favourite blundered and unseated the champion jockey at the second fence. Victory in this event went to the 134-rated, Gordon Elliott-trained Western Fold, positively ridden by Danny Gilligan to put his experience to good use. The six-year-old, having his sixth run over fences, jumped impeccably and relished every yard of the longer trip, powering home eight lengths clear of Oscars Brother. Representing Elliott, Lisa O'Neill said: 'He had plenty of experience and his jumping improved as he went along. Danny gave him a lovely, positive ride and said he got the run of the race. It's great to get him on the scoreboard. And I''d say he'll keep going through the summer.' Edward O'Grady registered his first success since November when St Faz, successful on the Flat and over hurdles, opened his chasing account in the Botanica International Handicap Chase. Ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, the 5-2 favourite took command at the second last and stayed on to beat One Last Tango by two and a quarter lengths. 'The horses have been running well without winning, so I'm very pleased this fellow has won,' commented the veteran trainer, 'He's a five-year-old, so might progress and he'll run in those novice handicaps through the summer.' The father and son combination of trainer Alex and amateur Luke Burke-Ott struck in the Join Racing TV Now With A Free Month Trial Handicap Chase when Inchidaly Copper recovered from a last fence blunder to outpoint the flattering In The Trenches by a neck. 'The main thing is to keep him fresh and he's only in six weeks, so we thought he'd need the run,' said the trainer, 'I'd say he trains himself and we had no real plan for him. The distance was shorter than ideal for him.' Another father/son team was on the mark in the Buy Tickets Online Novice Hunters Chase as The Rebel County, owned and trained by Garrett Ahern in Bartlemy, County Cork and giving his son Josh a first racecourse success, saw off favourite Cause For Comment and Keep On Dreaming. 'He loved that summer ground,' declared the winning rider. 'He was wicked keen with me and I kept wide for the best ground. I gave him a squeeze turning into the straight and away he went.' The only four-year-old in the field, Chosen Comrade, described by her trainer Peter Fahey as 'not the biggest, but a nice staying filly', made an impressive debut in the mares' bumper, beating favourite Katie's Melody comfortably, and proving another winner for in-form John Gleeson. And, successful with I'm Slippy at Fairyhouse last month, Robert Tyner and Josh Williamson teamed-up again to take the geldings' bumper with six-year-old Quakerstown scorer Stanners Glen.
Irish Independent
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Inspired ride by Paul Townend sees Jade de triumph for Willie Mullins on final day of Punchestown
She scooted home six and a half lengths clear of stablemate Gala Marceau (12/1) who finished fast to take second place with fading 6/4 fancy Brighterdaysahead finishing third, another two and a half lengths adrift. Originally chalked up at 3/1, all the 'folding stuff' in the betting ring came for Kenny Alexander's Jade De Grugy who was hammered in to 'levels you devils' at the off. It was yet another inspired ride by Paul Townend who was unhappy with the pace in the race early on when he was a close enough third. With the early leader Wyenot giving way four out, it settled into a duel between Brighterdaysahead and Jade De Grugy with the Closutton runner much better at the second last as she kicked clear and steamed home for a decisive victory. Willie Mullins said: 'She's a mare that has been improving all year. Nicer ground was a big help and tactically Paul was brilliant. Brighterdaysahead probably just had a very hard race at Christmas and she never got over it. We're delighted to be able to win a Grade 1 with a filly like this and I'd say we'll probably train her for the Mares Hurdle next year.' When asked if she could jump a fence in time Willie said: 'She could but it wouldn't be what we are looking forward to at this stage, we'd rather keep her hurdling.' A delighted Townend said: 'I thought we might go a bit quicker early on. When Brighterdaysahead moved out I said I'd go in there to get track position and try and dictate it. Our mare stays well and I was able to pull the trigger then from the front end when I wanted to.' On what was final day of the season we saw a prime contender for the Ride Of The Year award when the mercurial Danny Mullins took the scenic route in splendid isolation out wide on the Willie Mullins trained, Gigginstown-owned 15/2 joint favourite Shanbally Kid, before cruising home in the closing stages to take the Oaklodgelandscapes Handicap Chase with the field well strung out behind them. Danny could afford to steal a glance over his shoulder before the last as they romped home fifteen lengths clear of 20/1 shot Outside The Door with From The Ashes (14/1) third. Danny explained: 'He's just a little horse that, always over hurdles, I actually thought he was going to run a big race in the Coral Cup one year at Cheltenham but he never fulfilled that.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'He loves a bit of room, he's a little bit timid I suppose and being out there on his own he has just relished it. I said to Willie I want to keep space on him and he said 'If you think he'll jump for you doing that, go ahead and do it.' After the demise of Constitution Hill, Nicky Henderson and James Bowen got a welcome tonic when 11/10 favourite Lulamba reversed Triumph Hurdle placings with the Mullins trained Poniros (7/2) by four lengths in the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle. Bowen said: 'Yesterday after Constitution Hill I wasn't in such good spirits but I'm delighted with that! We went a good gallop and he stays well. I got to the front three out and he pricked his ears and I was delighted with him. He'll definitely get further next year, he has a lot of filling out to do.' Elsewhere, Ruling Court held off big-race favourite Field Of Gold to give Charlie Appleby his third 2000 Guineas win in four years at Newmarket. The choice of William Buick, the son of Justify - who cost €2.3million at the breeze-up sales in May last year - was ridden confidently by the Godolphin number one, with Kieran Shoemark never far behind on the John and Thady Gosden-trained Craven scorer Field Of Gold, as they raced from stalls 11 and 10 respectively. Shoemark was still motionless as Buick was urging his mount to quicken entering the dip, where Ruling Court showed a willing response to soon head the Classic field and join stablemate Shadow Of Light, who had emerged as a real danger from those who started on the far side. Ruling Court's stamina came to the fore as he knuckled down to fight his Dewhurst-winning stablemate in the closing stages and having beaten off that rival and Mickael Barzalona, he kept on strongly as Field Of Gold came home strongly to get within half a length of the 9-2 scorer. Appleby - who struck with Notable Speech 12 months ago - said: 'John Gosden's horse looked great, I thought, and the way he won the Craven he was the horse we all had to beat, and it's been hard for William - it was a tough call to get off a champion two-year-old (Shadow Of Light), but we all got our heads together and hopefully got the right people on the right horses. 'Everyone had their chance in the dip to come and have a crack at it and obviously William got a nice clear run. I was delighted also with Shadow Of Light and I thought at one stage it would be a good match race going on here. 'John's horse as expected was always going to come to the party late on and he put it up to Ruling Court, but it was a great ride from William and he's a very nice horse.' Coral cut Ruling Court to 5-1 for the Derby on the back of his Newmarket display, with Appleby now set to discuss an Epsom tilt with the Godolphin team having opened his Classic account for the new campaign. He added: 'You could see him as a Derby horse and that's what we had our minds set on in the winter. There will be nice healthy discussions on Derby plans. 'We'll let the dust settle and enjoy the moment and then we'll start to map out the rest of the year.' Having made the correct call by electing to ride Ruling Court, Buick was thrilled to win the opening Classic of the year for the second year running and has no doubts about the colt's suitability for Epsom. 'We had a very high opinion of this horse and he came into the winter and was always going to run in Dubai in the Jumeirah Guineas and he put up an amazing performance,' said Buick.
