Paul Townend: We would be very disappointed with anything bar a win
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Ladbrokes ambassador Paul Townend completes a busy weekend with four rides at Cork on Sunday and the leading jockey spoke to us about their chances.
He won first time for us and then ran well when beaten by A Dream To Share in the Cheltenham bumper. He ran very keen that day. He wears a hood. He was very disappointing when he came back to Punchestown but that was on drier ground. Maybe he just didn’t recover in time from Cheltenham. We can put a line through that though as his best bumper form is very good. He is a nice recruit to hurdling and is a point winner so he has experience of jumping.
He was runner-up to Solitary Man over three miles at Cork the last day. He’s 4lbs better off than him this time. Solitary Man is an improving horse as well.
There are only five runners but it’s very competitive. Mahon’s Way has good form, winning a nice maiden at Naas the last day and steps up in trip here. Search For Glory brings some nice form and has a lot of experience with a mark of 132. I am sure my horse will turn up and give a good account of himself and the 4lbs swing with Solitary Man should make us competitive again.
It’s only over two miles and she probably wants further. She is one from one over fences in Killarney on yielding ground. The slower ground will test her stamina, but as I said, she is ideally suited to a further trip. The only one I think will take all the beating here is Zenta.
I can’t wait to get back on him. He had a perfect season last year in novice company over fences and this is his first step outside of novice company. This is a path well worn by some big names and hopefully El Fabiolo can add his name to that list. I couldn’t be happier with him.
We are giving weight to everything which isn’t ideal on our seasonal debut but on what he did last year, he should be able to overcome all of that. I just hope he can make the transition into open company as seamless as possible. We would be very disappointed with anything bar a win. He is my best ride of the day.
