Paul Townend talks about his rides at Galway and Wexford

In Paul Townend’s first blog for Ladbrokes, he discusses his rides at Galway and Wexford this weekend.

On Saturday I will be at Galway for the afternoon, with my first ride on Good Luck Hope in the Maiden Hurdle at 1.35.

I don’t know much about him to be honest as I’ve never sat on the horse. James Nash seems to like him and thinks he’s a nice type so we’ll see.

It’s probably not the best race in the world but Licklighter has been running consistently well and probably deserves his day. The Gigginstown horses will probably take a bit of beating as well.

I then ride Stormey in a Novice Chase at 2.05. He always runs well around Galway and is consistent. He had a couple of runs over fences so I hope he can run well.

Experience is probably the thing he lacks. Henry De Bromehad’s horses are obviously flying and should take a bit of beating. However, the trainer is pretty sweet on Stormey and he never really lets us down.

My last ride at Galway will hopefully be on Sizing Malbay in the Handicap Hurdle (5.00). He’s the first reserve so we’ll have to wait see if he gets in.

His run behind Pearl Of The West at Bellewstown is probably his best form. It is a low grade handicap so let’s just wait and see.

On Sunday I head to Wexford with my opening ride on Panther Soul (12.20). He was second in Gowran, his first run over hurdles.

He was obviously very inexperienced there and he’d only had one run on the flat as well. He is learning on the job and hopefully he can improve to be very competitive and go very close.

Sapphire Lady is next up in the Mares Hurdle at 12.50. She was disappointing on her last run but hopefully we can put a line through that.

I’ll take a chance and say I hope she can bounce back to her best form that she was showing earlier on in the summer.

I ride Eight And Bob in a Handicap Hurdle at 2.00. We were disappointed he got beaten the last day in the North. The horse that beat him, Authorative, came out and ran well a couple of times since.

We are hoping he can go one better this time. He got 4lbs for finishing second that day but if we can get him jumping a bit better early on in the race he should go very close. I think he is my best chance of the weekend.

Finally I’m on Silver Planeur in the 2.35 Handicap Hurdle. Eric McNamara’s horses are running very well at the moment. I haven’t rode him before. He slipped up in Tipperary on his last run.

Eric thinks I am right for him and he’s never too far wrong when he says those things. He has bits and pieces of form and the connections feel strongly about his chances, so fingers crossed.

Paul