Paul Townend has this season’s jockeys' championship in the bag and is closing in on another century of winners for the campaign.
Even a career-best 121 winners in Ireland last term wasn’t enough for Townend to stop Jack Kennedy from being champion jockey but normal service has resumed with a vengeance.
Townend, who was again leading jockey at the recent Cheltenham Festival, is on 96 winners, and on over €2.2 million in prize money, well clear of his nearest rival Sam Ewing on 64. It means the 34-year-old Cork man will be crowned champion jockey for a seventh time at the Punchestown festival. He is also on the verge of reaching 100 winners for a sixth time.
Townend has three weekend rides, including the mare Fun Fun Fun in Limerick’s Grade Three Hugh McMahon Novice Chase. Her 10.7 weight is close to the lowest her rider has made in a year.
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Limerick’s feature also has the curious feature of how JJ Slevin, retained rider to Fun Fun Fun’s owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, is on one of her main dangers. Slevin is on board Monbeg Park, a winner at Leopardstown last time.
That’s in contrast to Fun Fun Fun’s last start at Exeter which was disappointing. However, the ownership’s spokesman, and former number one jockey, Daryl Jacob, is expecting a lot better now.
“I’m looking forward to seeing her run over three miles. Paul rides her off a low weight and she’s bred for this trip,” he told sportinglife.com.
“I think you can put a line through her run at Exeter. She came back in season, and I think she had a look at the white fences as well. Forget that form,” Jacob added.
Significant ease in the going could prove a big help to the Gowran winner Carrigmoorena Beech when she lines up in the Listed finale at Limerick.
Before all that Townend will also don the double green colours on C’est Ta Chance in a novice hurdle at Navan on Sunday. This could prove a good opportunity for the topweight Ol Man Dingle who may relish a hike in trip from his last start at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Navan’s feature is the €60,000 novice handicap chase final where Mousey Brown represents the Dermot McLoughlin-Paddy O’Hanlon combination. They memorably teamed up to win the 2022 Irish Grand National with the 40-1 outsider Lord Lariat.
Mousey Brown returned to action with a run over hurdles behind Jade De Grugy last month. That should set her up for a tilt at this valuable pot and her versatility in terms of ground can only be a help.
Slevin will be in Scotland on Saturday to ride the sole Irish hope, Green Sky, in Kelso’s six-figure feature.
The mare makes the journey from Stuart Crawford’s Co Antrim yard and Jacob commented: “She goes there with a really good chance. The track and ground will suit, and she’s probably got a few pounds up her sleeve so we’re hopeful she can run well.”
