Paul Townend: It’s a big test but State Man sets the standard
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In his exclusive blog for Ladbrokes, jockey Paul Townend discusses the prospects of his rides at Leopardstown on Friday.
He should benefit with the run in Fairyhouse under his belt. He steps up to two and a half miles from two. That rode like a very good race the last day when he was beaten by Firefox, who looks a very smart horse. If he can cope with the step up in trip, and I’m sure he can, he will be very hard to oppose.
She won nicely in Punchestown last year, then her season kind of petered out. She had a very nice run in Punchestown at the end of November, beaten just under two lengths, and think she can improve for that. It’s a good race. Magical Zoe, Risk Belle, Jetara and Tellmesomethinggirl will be hard to beat and, getting weight from us all down the bottom, is John McConnell’s Anna Bunina. It will probably take a career best for her to win but she is going there in good form and off the back of a nice run in Punchestown.
He was a very good winner of his beginners’ chase in Naas. That was over two and a half miles. He steps up to three miles here, which I think will be no problem for him. The worry is he won a maiden hurdle last year very well and bombed out in Grade 1 company in the middle of the season. He’s a year older, a year stronger and we won’t know until we try again. But it is a concern that he didn’t back up his impressive maiden win last year. It’s another good race with Flooring Porter, Corbetts Cross and Favori De Champdou in the field. I don’t think we’ve seen the very best of Grangeclare West yet.
He seems to set the standard this side of the water. His only defeat was by Constitution Hill last year. It’s interesting he’s being taken on by Impaire Et Passe. I thought Impaire Et Passe ran with a lot of credit in the Hatton’s Grace in Fairyhouse. He has a run under his belt and State Man won the Morgiana. It’s a big test but State Man played at the top table all last season and sets the standard. The pair are sure to make a good race of it.
She ran far too free the last day with Michael O’Sullivan in Punchestown, where Jetara won. Hopefully she will settle a little better. She was a good winner for Patrick in Clonmel but looked keen that day as well so we’ll have to keep a lid on her. She will have to improve plenty from the last day. We are hopeful rather than confident as she lacks a bit of experience against some of these.
