Paul Townend looks back on successful Cheltenham Festival
Published:
Ladbrokes ambassador Paul Townend reflects on the 2023 Cheltenham Festival where he won six races to finish top jockey, which included successes in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Queen Mother Champion Chase.
As a jockey we can be a bit greedy and always want more, but to finish the Festival as leading rider and win the Cheltenham Gold Cup must go down as a successful raid.
Every race is so important, so the first chance you have to enjoy it is after itโs all over.
There was plenty of pressure going out on Galopin Des Champs for the Gold Cup. I believed in him and knew that if he got into a good rhythm of jumping it was going to put me in the race. I had myself convinced he would stay and I was able to ride him with plenty of confidence.
๐๐๐ก๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฃ ๐ฟ๐๐จ ๐พ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐จ โ ๐ฝ๐ค๐ค๐๐ก๐๐จ ๐พ๐๐๐ก๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ข ๐๐ค๐ก๐ ๐พ๐ช๐ฅ ๐๐๐ง๐ค
๐ 13 runs
๐ฅ 9 wins
๐ Cheltenham Gold Cup
๐ Irish Gold Cup
๐ John Durkan Memorial๐ Racing has a new Gold Cup king #CheltenhamFestival | @WillieMullinsNH | @PTownend pic.twitter.com/ejWhbtRmiq
โ Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 17, 2023
It very nearly all went wrong as I was very close to Ahoy Senor when he fell, bringing down Sounds Russian which was too close for comfort.
A couple of fences before that I was looking at Sounds Russian and was going to slip up his inside, but for some reason I decided to go round him. If Iโd been inside him, Iโd have been the one brought down.
They are the bits of luck you need to go your way. We didnโt have it the previous year (when Galopin Des Champs came down at the last) but we did this time round.
I hadnโt time to think about the last fence this time. We were lucky that we met the second last and last on very good strides. To be honest he hasnโt ever looked like falling before or since last year, so the fence was the last thing on my mind.
I donโt like to compare him to other winners but any horse that wins the Gold Cup is a very good horse. It was the manner with which he did it, going through the line so strongly that impressed me. I thought he would stay but how well he stayed was a nice surprise.
The meeting began with Facile Vega running second in the Supreme. I donโt think there were any excuses. He got a bit keen on me down over the second last but he turned in a winning position. The mistake over the last didnโt help but I was probably getting the worst of the argument at that stage.
El Fabiolo was very good in the Arkle. It was a strong race and to make the couple of errors he did and still turn in on the bridle, to come alive like he did off such a strong pace, was a huge performance.
He was probably entitled to that much improvement because of the level he ran at Aintree last year with so little experience, which he has been building on.
Taking nothing from Constitution Hill who looks exceptional, but I was a bit disappointed with State Man. I thought I would beat the rest of them further. I thought I would land some sort of a blow and I didnโt.
Impaire Et Passe was very impressive considering his lack of racing. He is so easy to ride, you can put him where you want and he can pick up off that pace as well. I hoped when he got a smack he would take off and thatโs exactly what happened.
When I got through on the inside and Danny [Mullins on Champ Kiely] jumped right, I was able to sit on the bend and when I gave him a squeeze he started to lengthen and picked up all the way up the hill. Heโs a proper one.
๐ Impaire Et Passe โ oh he looks the real deal alright & leads home a Willie Mullins 1-2-3 in the Ballymore
๐ Four runs
๐ฅ Four wins
๐ G1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
๐ G2 Moscow Flyer Novices' Hurdle
โญ๏ธ Potential superstar#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/vq2zwHzexXโ Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 15, 2023
It was evident from the first fence, and again over the second, that Energumene was a different horse this time in the Champion Chase. He was down out of the air, in my hands taking me without over-racing and just felt like the proper Energumene.
I know Edwardstone didnโt turn up and Gary Mooreโs horse probably ran below par, but if the two horses we met in the Clarence House had turned up against this Energumene there would have been a different story. Leaving Cheltenham after the Clarence House, I was hoping that would be the case too.
It was difficult picking my ride in the Triumph Hurdle. On reflection I would have looked silly now if I hadnโt ridden Lossiemouth, but no one could have foreseen Blood Destiny blowing out like he did. He is far better than that and I still retain faith in him.
She is a horse for now. She is professional and when the pace collapsed she jumped on the bridle. She was value for the couple of lengths she won. I was hanging on in front for as long as I could after her getting keen. She showed she would stay as well.
I got out of Cheltenham as they were crossing the line for the Martin Pipe and flew home Friday night back to Kilkenny. We had Thurles the next day.
We had a bit of a do Saturday night with a few friends and then I rode at Navan and Clonmel after that.
We havenโt really had the time to stop yet. The couple of weeks leading up and the week at Cheltenham are fairly draining and stressful so I am now looking forward to a few days off as I am suspended next week.
I donโt think I will be back until Easter Saturday. There is a big month coming with the Irish Grand National, Grand National and Punchestown Festivals right on top of each other.
I am hoping we can stay in one piece to be at them all and then look forward to a summer holiday.
All the horses that were at Cheltenham are having an easy time this week. Weโve not spoken about Grand Nationals yet. Itโs far too soon to know what is even going to run.
The majority of those that are OK will run between Fairyhouse and Punchestown. We usually donโt have a huge team for Aintree. Weโll be there every day with a small enough book of rides.
