Paul Townend Cheltenham Festival Blog: Day Three Preview
Published:
After a rather successful two days this week, the Paul Townend Cheltenham Festival blog is back with the leading jockey sharing his thoughts on day three.
Paul Townend Cheltenham Festival Blog
He’s been turned over on the last two occasions over two miles. His last run was better than that at Christmas in my opinion. I do feel the step up in trip could bring about a bit of improvement in the horse. He is going the right way and is trained by a genius. I am not giving up hope on him.
It’s a good rac, with Grey Dawning and Ginny’s Destiny warranting an awful lot of respect in the race. Zanahiyr is a high class horse who has taken to chasing really well too so it’ll take a bit of winning.
He’s a two-time Cheltenham Festival winner but has to prove he stays three miles. He has won a Ballymore here on very heavy ground and stayed well that day. He didn’t look to stay over three miles over fences here last year, but he had a terrible prep for the race and I felt jumping fences wasn’t easy for him and that contributed to him not getting the trip. I think he will get three miles. The way he raced at Punchestown the last day filled me with confidence that he is settling much better and that will help him get the trip. He is a high class horse but there is a lot of ifs, buts, and maybes there. Teahupoo looked unlucky in the race last year and has been mapped out for it all year and will take an awful lot of stopping.
She’s a filly I liked a lot when I won a maiden on her at Leopardstown over Christmas. That was over 2 ½ miles, and then she went back to 2m2f then for Brian Hayes to win at Fairyhouse. I like her a lot and she stays. There is a big opposition in Brighterdaysahead with lots of noise from the yard about her. I think my horse is my best ride today.
All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.
