Paul Townend: Hors Piste will take all the beating in Guinness Novice Hurdle
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Galway Races continue on Thursday when Paul Townend has another four rides and the Ladbrokes ambassador talked to us about their prospects ahead of the fourth day of the meeting.
He beat Kilcruit in his early days but unfortunately, he has been very disappointing since then. He has had one run over fences at Kilbeggan which was below par. On everything he has shown recently he will definitely have to step up.
He is two-from-two over fences and seems to jump really well. He won over two-and-a-half miles the last day at Wexford so we will be hoping this won’t inconvenience him. Call Me Lyreen won his last two chases as well and will be competitive.
Paul Townend is on Ganapathi in the 14:45 at Galway
Check out what @PTownend thinks of his chances below pic.twitter.com/InSPjYL3rv
— Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) July 28, 2022
He bolted up at Kilbeggan and followed it up nicely at Wexford. On hurdle form, Sole Pretender definitely sets the standard. He has taken to chasing really well. He ran a cracker in the Grimes Hurdle and was just touched off on his last run. He’s an ultra-consistent horse. I think chases have improved my horse and he will give them all something to think about.
She had a cracking run behind Brandy Love in the Grade One Mares’ Novice at Fairyhouse. She is a mare I like a lot, although she disappointed us at Cheltenham. I thought she would have run a bit better, but I think Galway will suit her. She is a tough, honest mare and will take a lot of beating.
Falcon Eight is a high-class flat horse and Another Choice is a horse I know well. I won on him the last day at Downpatrick. He hung quiet badly left that day so I am not sure if going right-handed will suit him. I am very sweet on my ride.
I ride Adamantly Chosen in the Galway Hurdle. He hasn’t had that many runs so hopefully he could still be on the right side of the handicapper. He ran a very big race in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham, better than his finishing position suggested.
He seemed to have got tired up the hill there. He wasn’t beaten far at Punchestown on the last day of the season and didn’t get a clear run around there. I am hoping the penny is starting to drop now for him. He is improving and off a nice, competitive racing weight. We will need a lot of luck in running as it is a Galway Hurdle. You can make a case for a lot of them, including the likes of Santa Rossa. It is a lottery, but I wouldn’t swap my horse.
