Paul Townend: Kemboy has had two nice runs and he will give a good account of himself
Published:
Ladbrokes ambassador Paul Townend discusses his three rides at Down Royal on Friday and Saturday.
I found it very hard to split Willie’s horses in this to be honest. I think it is a race full of potential.
Nikini has to give 4lbs away to her rivals which isn’t ideal. Her spring form is decent and ties in with Noel Meade’s The Model Kingdom. I think she will be very hard to beat. She beat us earlier in the year but Nikini is two from two over hurdles and she has given me no reason to get off her.
Two races in and it's two winners for the pair of @WillieMullinsNH and Paul Townend as Nikini wins the Kerry Group @IrishEBF_ Mares Hurdle nicely. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Y6yKe4QkXj
— Listowel Races (@ListowelRaces) September 18, 2022
Saylavee was visually very impressive in Gowran the last day and keeps winning as well. It is going to be an interesting race and I think there will be a lot of winners to come out of it. I hope I am on the right one but given how decent the other fillies are, I’m not confident.
On Saturday, I ride Kemboy in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase. He is an admiral horse and always consistent. He has finished behind Easy Game on his last two runs but he has progressed with each run and I think he can improve again, which he will obviously have to.
He has plenty to find on ratings with a few of the others in this. Galvin was narrowly beaten in the race last year and would be hoping to go one better. He is the horse we all must beat.
Envoi Allen is interesting stepping up to three miles. He was pulled up on his only other try at this trip at Punchestown a few years ago but that was too bad to be true so I think he’s an intriguing one.
It is not often Willie Mullins has one ready for this race but Kemboy has had two nice runs and he will give a good account of himself again.
I ride Fighter Allen in the Down Royal Eventsec Chase. He got a nice confidence boost at Tramore last year. He didn’t get very far at Punchestown in a competitive handicap, going at the first. Overall, he’s a consistent jumper and doesn’t seem any the worse for that fall.
On ratings, he actually comes out quite well. It’s his first run since Punchestown so that is a worry in terms of seeing how far along Willie’s horses are at this time of year. It is early enough for him to have one out.
It’s nice to get them started and to see where they are for the rest of the season. Hopefully we will have a bit of luck at Down Royal and maybe bag a winner or two.
