Paul Townend: Allegorie De Vassy can thrive at Thurles
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Ladbrokes ambassador Paul Townend discusses the chances of his six rides at Navan and Thurles this weekend.
Saturday
I liked him when he won his maiden for Mark Walsh at Punchestown earlier in the season. He came fifth that day and was beaten a long way by Facile Vega. However, he is not a horse who has a lot of racing under his belt so he is entitled to improve plenty. He’s just had the three runs in his life. I haven’t ridden him a whole lot but I really like what I see.
We receive weight off Gordon Elliott’s Landrake which will help as well. Unfortunately Mark is injured so I am filling in and I am really looking forward to it. He is my best ride of the day.
I had a tough decision to make in this race but I have gone with Shanbally Kid. Himself and Aime Desjy both ran in a two-mile maiden at Limerick over Christmas. Aime Desjy beat Shanbally Kid by a place that day. However, I have gone with Shanbally Kid. He probably needed to jump a bit better that day but I thought he got the hang of it. It was a messy race.
The step up in trip will suit him and hopefully we can reverse the form. There isn’t a lot between them so we will see. Aime Desjy had a claimer on him at Limerick and Danny Mullins rides him here so he is a few pounds worse off than he was last time out.
Aione, Mahler Mission, and Shantreusse all ran in the same beginners’ chase at Punchestown last time out. My horse has a lot of experience. He is a ten-year-old without a huge amount of racing. I think he will come on plenty for his comeback run. He got tired on heavy ground late on at Punchestown that day but, as I said, he will improve. I don’t think there is much between the three.
Sunday
She made a big impact when winning a graded chase with Sean O’Keeffe at Limerick over Christmas. That was her first run over fences and she was thrown in the deep end but she looks a real natural over fences. She is versatile trip wise and is definitely the one to beat here. I actually haven’t ridden her on the track yet but I am really looking forward to getting a go on her. I will put her up as my ride of the day.
He was running a real big race until he made a bad mistake two out in the Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas. The step up in trip is going to be interesting for him. Maybe at this stage of his life it will help him. He takes on some decent horses here. Fakir D’oudairies will have his optimum trip and conditions so he will make us work for everything we do.
I love my horse as I always say and I can’t wait to ride him. I don’t think the trip will be an issue for him and I am looking forward to getting going with him after that bad mistake.
He was touched off in a maiden at Cork. He ran well in a good maiden at Leopardstown over Christmas. He made one bad mistake down the back that day but I thought that was a good race and the extra step up in trip will suit him. There will be plenty of pace in that race.
