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Amongst all the action yesterday and the sad demise of Envoi Allen, perhaps it has been somewhat overlooked that in riding Gaelic Warrior to victory, Paul Townend became the winning most jockey in the history of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
It is remarkable achievement, especially when considering he was understudy to Ruby Walsh for many years. Not every deputy steps up to the mark when they get the top job but Townend has ended up having a career every bit as remarkable as his illustrious predecessor.
Funnily enough, I don’t think he was always at his best this week and not through the season either. But he was undeniably good on Il Etait Temps in the Champion Chase and gave Lossiemouth and Gaelic Warrior ultra confident rides in the marquee races.
He is always good in his interviews and showed on the “Road To Cheltenham” one day that he is a serious thinker about the game. I expect he will make a good pundit after he retires, if that is what he wants to do.
Mullins heaped praise on him yesterday and rightly so.
Yes mentally strong , something he has over Nico , to be brutal Paul rode 2 bad rides before Gaelic
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
I have to agree Cork on both counts it is some achievement to win that many Gold Cups and it is true he has not been at his best all week. The ride on KARBAU was understandable albeit a little cowardly and IMO if he is going to ride safe like that he should give up the ride to someone that might give it a man’s ride.
Agree raymo. Karbau was my main bet yesterday but I knew my fate early. He was never going to win from that far back. To my mind, Townend rode the horse as if he had a ton in hand like State Man did a few years ago – but Karbau was probably on his right handicap mark. It was a disappointing effort.
I am not convinced Ballyburn was his finest hour either. I know the horse is an enigma but he was a long way back and then got squeezed out going to the last flight. When considering how far he had to switch and how far he was beaten, I think it cost him the race.
Townend was undeniably good on some of his mounts this week but I think there were one or two rides he would like to have back.
Agree HDLG. Townend does seem able to put the bad rides behind him. He just focuses on what he can do rather than dwelling on things he cannot change. It is a huge asset.
He made a poor error on Al Boum Photo at Punchestown several years ago. Mullins said yesterday that would have broken some jockeys. Instead, he turned up the next day and rode four winners.
All the best sportspeople seem to have this ability to refocus.
HDLG. Of course he did. Do you do everything perfectly in your professional life? I doubt it. IMHO, he’s a better big race jockey than Ruby Walsh.
For those of you new to Paul Townend, he won his first Grade 1 on Hurricane Fly (2008 Royal Bond) when he was an 18-year-old claimer. He’s always been very good…
CAS. Of course he’d want Ballyburn back in particular. Skelton beat him to the rail and it compromised both their races.
Nevertheless, I think he can sleep soundly with his five Gold Cups and counting.
Yes it was a good ride on GW (the best part was getting him settle quickly) and while his ability to put behind him a bad ride is a big strength of his, it is massively helped by the fact that with riding for Mullins another good ride can literally be in the next race, so he has very little time to stew over a bad ride and a quick chance to make amends.
I thought his ride in the QMCC on IET was his best of the week, to have the confidence/balls to sit well off a fast pace like that was very cool and calculated especially as I am pretty sure that wasn’t the plan when he jumped off handy but it was a good example of thinking on your feet and changing your plan accordingly.
That being said he would probably tell you that the ride he would want back was on Ballyburn in the Stayers Hurdle – getting shut off by Skelton going to the last which cost him vital momentum and caused the horse to land hind legs first over the last and then having to switch him out he believes cost him the race. Not entirely sure I agree with him but he would have finished a lot closer than he did.
As good as he is, I personally would still take Ruby over him everyday and twice on a Sunday but Townend isn’t that far behing him.
Space was Jimmy White at one time the best snooker player in world , yes , was he world champion …. , talent isn’t always backed up by mental strength
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
To be fair to Jimmy White he did run into a freak of snookering nature in every world championship final
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
He gained a lot of experience of riding round English tracks when he used to come over here to ride for Rebecca Curtis back in the day.I’m sure that back then Mullins rarely brought horses over here on a regular basis.
Hate to say it but he was a bottler , remember this ..
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
I don’t know that was some putt from around 8 feet after that debacle. Remember it well unlike Setanta Golf.
One of Townend’s big strengths like Ruby is the clock in his head. Fantastic judge of pace.
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