Paul Townend previews day one of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival
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The wait is finally over as Ladbrokes ambassador Paul Townend talks us through his four rides on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Facile Vega is one of my main rides of the Festival and it is brilliant to have him in the first race. It would be amazing if he could get us off to the perfect start. There is no denying that you have to forgive him for the Dublin Racing Festival. We probably got the tactics wrong but this is a different day, a different track, and a different race. Please God we can make up for that defeat.
He is a Cheltenham Festival winner already and that will stand him in big stead. I wouldn’t swap him for anything else. He is the favourite and deserves to be. Everyone else will need to step up to his level. I can’t wait to ride him and let’s hope he gets the week off to a good start for everyone at Closutton.
This is going to be a savage race. It is being talked up as a two-horse race between El Fabiolo and Jonbon, but I think it is much deeper than that. Dysart Dynamo is going to play a huge part in the race. He went toe-to-toe with Jonbon here last year and I am not sure that will happen this year. I would imagine Aidan [Coleman] will be watching me a bit more. Danny [Mullins] could get left alone in front but then again Effernock Fizz likes to be the frontrunner. There are horses in here who may not play a part in the finish of the race but are definitely going to play a big part in how it shapes.
What a race! El Fabiolo wins the Irish Arkle under @Dazjacob10! 🟢#DublinRacingFestival #DRF pic.twitter.com/hICz0zLj5s
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) February 4, 2023
El Fabiolo put up a huge performance beating Banbridge, Appreciate It and Dysart Dynamo at the Dublin Racing Festival. On Aintree form, there is nothing between my horse and Jonbon. You have two ways of looking at that race. Did Jonbon underperform? Maybe slightly after such a hard race with Dysart Dynamo and Constitution Hill at Cheltenham. On the flip side, El Fabiolo came from what was an easy race at Tramore. It probably wasn’t the deepest of maiden hurdles for his only run and then was thrown into the deep end in a Grade 1. I think my horse is the one open to more improvement. I am obviously slightly biased, but it should be a cracking race. It could come down to a jump. I can’t put anyone off El Fabiolo.
We could be just running into an absolute superstar in Constitution Hill here. I am delighted with my horse. He is improving the whole time. I think I will give Constitution Hill the most to do and I think it will be his toughest test so far. Whether we are good enough or not, I don’t know.
The English handicapper has us coming to Cheltenham 26lbs higher than he did when he won the County Hurdle last year and that still leaves us 6lbs behind Constitution Hill. That shows what Constitution Hill has been doing. If I could take him on with anything, it would be State Man. I would like to think I can give him a scare if I can’t beat him.
It’s an unbelievable renewal of the race. I have always been a fan of the race and I think this year has shown its worth and place at the Festival. You have two previous Champion Hurdle winners in Honeysuckle and Epatante. Marie’s Rock throws plenty of flare into the race. She won at the Festival last year. Love Envoi is a Festival winner. There is so much depth in the race.
Queens Brook beat Brandy Love at Punchestown the last day but Brandy Love will improve a lot from that day and she will have to improve an awful lot to get up to Honeysuckle, Marie’s Rock and Epatante. But I think she is the one who can get up to this level. She is the one with potential in this race that is unproven and that is why I chose to ride her over Echoes In Rain who has been beaten by Honeysuckle every time they met so I went with the one who hasn’t been defeated by her.
I think she will run a big race. She’s not the easiest character in the world but she likes to go left which is a big help. She will have to behave herself. The pace in the race will be critical. An even gallop would suit me and we will come home well I think.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
