Paul Townend previews Sunday’s four rides at Navan
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With no jumps racing on Saturday at Fairyhouse due to frozen ground, Paul Townend hopes to be in action on Sunday when he has four four rides at Navan as long as it passes an inspection.
He has an interesting profile. He won two bumpers in France before we got him from Richard Hobson in October last year. We ran him at Cheltenham where he ran very free with Rachael Blackmore in the Bumper. He ran a bit better in Aintree.
It could have been a case of having done a lot come Cheltenham and Aintree and a summer’s grass seems to have done him a lot of good. He has strengthened up plenty. He came with a huge reputation and his jumping has been good.
This is going to be a good maiden hurdle as we’ve had no racing and people have to get these horses out, so it will take a bit of winning.
The point-to-point form of Henry de Bromhead’s Lets Go Champ is working out, and Gordon Elliott’s stable is flying. We expect our horse to show he is a lot better than his bumper form.
Willie kicked on with this horse too last season. He ran OK at Cheltenham and Punchestown but he is an out-and-out jumps horse who we probably won’t see the best of until he goes chasing.
He is one I am excited to get hurdling. I think a jump in front of him is going to improve him a lot. I like what he does at home.
He is fit from the Flat and had a good summer campaign. But it’s hard to see how he is well handicapped over hurdles as he is close to a career high mark. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few better handicapped than him. At the same time he has been consistent. He will run his race.
He lacks experience over fences but he was a brilliant jumper of a hurdle. He has good form with Flame Bearer, who we have now and are very sweet on.
You would like to have got a run into him over fences to be taking on the more experienced horses but I don’t think that will be a problem for him. I am looking forward to getting him going.
Even though he didn’t run in too many Grade 1s last season, I think the race he was running in could have been as competitive as Grade 1s.
