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Monalee would have won, then ABP would have won.
Nathan is correct. Townend, who must know the course like the back of his hand, has had a complete loss of the security of thought that should have been present based upon his experience and knowledge. For no logical reason, doubt has come in to his mind regarding whether the field should jump the last. He has looked behind right and seen two horses locked in battle on the inside, on a line that would have allowed them to bypass the last. His glance has, in that split second, confirmed his unfounded and inexplicable notion that the last should not be jumped and in total panic he has tried to veer around it. But he did not have the time and space to do so and has taken out FO.
I don’t suppose he could have been given more than 21 days. There is often a big drop off in jockeyship skills between the first and second string riders at large stables. Townend’s job is to be reliable when Ruby is injured, he has benefited considerably from the arrangement but now risks being best known for today’s aberration.
Townend is reportedly claiming he heard a shout telling him to bypass the last . . .
I just watched the incident again.
Finian’s Oscar hung badly from landing over 2 out – 7 or 8 horse widths to my eye – and was still hanging to such effect he looked in danger of running out at the gap before the railed wing and carrying Russell out too. Then PT hit him.
Shout or not, PT has had a momentary doubt at exactly the point he turns to see Power & Russell apparently on their way around the wing to bypass the fence.
Weird. On the first couple of watches I thought it was ABP himself; he wanders about a bit before and after the second last and I wondered whether Townend mistook this for the feel of a horse starting to go wrong under him, and sits up looking round to see if he can pull up (though my logic is flawed here as pulling out left would be more sensible). At which point the horse crosses his jaw and instead of slowing down when the jockey sits up and crossing out right steadily behind FO, takes the opportunity to speed up and overreact to the right rein and dive right in front of FO. I would love to know whether this horse has a kink and a tendency to nap at home; or whether as a novice he just felt abandoned to his own devices when the jockey stopped riding forward positively in front of the fence.
On third watch it does seem plausible that Townend had a massive brainfart at the wrong moment- some kind of split second hallucination and thought the last was to be bypassed, looks right, sees FO hanging right and this confirms the misinformation his brain has fed him and he pulls right to avoid the fence (and beat FO to the rail so that he doesn’t have to pull across behind FO).
Oh well. How strange. Think/hope horses and jockeys all OK
The Cuprinol thread.
He pulled the horse……..the intention was never to win.
Invitation Only was the stable horse,he looked across after that got brought down,found himself in front on a non jigger,he took the only route available,wiping out the tizzard horse in a blind panic.
A conspiracy theory…….no,the preceding races and betting tell you all you need to know about the stable,bringing the sport into disrepute at virtually every grade 1 meeting.
The greed knows no boundary,the jockey was riding to orders,goes with the territory.
21 days is laughable,the stewards report even worse,rancid outfit.
It has also come to light that someone was stood in front of the fence that forced the jockeys to go round.
ABP was wandering/idling before and after the second last. If it was a non trier why did he ride it on positively into the lead then drag it through the wing of the last risking injury to everyone rather than just waving his arms and legs about a bit looking like he was trying but letting it lose ground, which would have been a much easier way of losing?
There will be plenty of theories of what’s happened by to my eye ABP looks like he is veering/idling left as he heads towards the last. Paul overestimates the severity of this and pulls him right to correct his line and the horse overreacts and darts out to the right.
@Flyners Nap
I presume your having a laugh with your post!?
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!Given that Mullins is throwing everything including the kitchen sink at Punchestown in his fight for the trainer’s title we can safely rule out the conspiracy theories. Why would Townend give Elliott a €100k turnaround in the standings?
However your theory doesn’t fit the evidence either Charlie as correcting the horse to the right wouldn’t explain why Townend stood up in the saddle, stopped riding and looked behind him before veering sharply to the right. It definitely looked like a deliberate manoeuvre from the jockey rather than the horse.
With no markers in the fence you have to think that Paul thought he heard a shout telling him to go round it.
But until we hear from the man himself I’m going with Botchy’s Elliott in front of the fence suggestion
Cracking day for a punt today, thought i’d Paste my thoughts below.
3m Novice Grade 1 – Delta Work should appreciate the better ground than at the Fez when he won the Pertemps beating a very well in Glenloe, is improving and likes the track.
9/1 looks a fair e/w price to me. Champion Bumper – Felix Desjy travelled incredibly well in the bumper and just paid for his keenness up the hill.
10s looks big to me. Handicap Chase - Been reeled in by the rogue Blast Of Koeman. He’s a bit of a mutt but cheek pieces going on have encouraged me to have an e/w go at 10s.
Mares bumper – Colreevy looks a quirky sort, Tintangle I like but her and half of the others ran just last week so don’t like those. Been following Holding Pattern since she won nicely on debut and think she’ll enjoy this tight track. Roche a good booking and 25s e/w is more than fair.
Anyone who thinks that Paul townend did that deliberately to lose the race is a complete idiot. If he wanted to make sure he didn’t win the race there are lots of more subtle ways. You can also be guaranteed that neither Mullins or Elliot will be sending out non triers this week. Now in relation to the incident itself I believe the racecourse authorities have to take some of the blame. To the right of the last fence there was a wing of the final hurdle. The hurdle had been removed for the two bumpers. There was also for some strange reason a corresponding gap in the running rail of the chase course. So the gap in the running rail pointed to the empty wing on the hurdles course making it look like the fence was to be bypassed. If you add this poor course design to the possibility of someone shouting something to indicate the fence was to be bypassed, PLUS the fact when townend looked around, all of the other horses looked to be heading out to the right including Finians Oscar, then its no wonder he panicked and tried to bypass the fence.
I’ve watched it quite a few times. Someone must have shouted to him from behind, and his right. The way he sits up, and turns to look behind him/to his right, it’s the only plausible explanation. As many others have said, he then panics in an instant, seeing the other two horses careering right.
Someone must have shouted to him, and all indications from him today would suggest he heard a shout to miss the fence. It is no coincidence, that behind and to his right were two Elliot horses.
My theory/money is on Davy Russell, the horse puncher. I would like to bet it was him who gave the shout, he was far enough behind to see clearly, and knew he was not going to win. I agree with thewexfordman too, the course looked quite confusing at that point, with the way the railing was set up. But those jockeys know that course like the back of their hand.
I doubt we’ll ever hear the full story of what happened yesterday. But my money is on Davy Russell gave him the shout, never imagining that PT would actually make that much of a balls up because of it.
Paul Townend has issued a statement: “I thought I heard a shout and that the last fence was being bypassed. It was a split-second reaction. I wish to apologise to connections and to punters. I’d like to leave this behind me and move on with today’s rides.”
What price after watching Mullins horses clean up all day and the title lead reducing… It was someone on an Elliot horse, out of frustration that gave out that shout.
Townend will not make a fuss, as that statement implies, and officially it will all just be swept under the carpet as a freak accident… But I’d like to see Davy Russell (or whomever else it was who told him to bypass the last) sporting a nice shiny black eye at some point over the next couple of days.
As for today, well the first is a toughie, but although I’ve missed the big prices, I’m definitely betting Man Of Plenty, and I’ll have Fine Theatre, and Lyreen Lad as backup.
In the 1655, I do like Jetz, he’s fairly solid, but that 9’s on Delta Work looks very good, and I’ll have a good go at that.
Cracking renewal of The Punchestown Gold Cup, and although it looks like Road To Respect has it to lose, I’m hopeful of big runs from Sandymount Duke, and Sizing Granite. Edwulf let them get away in The Gold Cup, he should have been closer, and he’s a cert saver.
I really wanted to have a play on The Guiness Handicap Ante-Post, but it was just too tough. It’s not much easier with final decs. My type of race, one to get stuck into, but I still have a big shortlist…..
Shanahans Turn
Viconte Du Noyer
Devils Bride (big price)
Oscar Knight
Clarcam
Jetstream Jack..could all be easily bet, but in the end, I’ve went for Champagne West, and Woodlands Opera. As I’ve mentioned a few times, Champagne West’s win in The 2017 Thyestes, was the best performance of the season, and I refuse to believe they’ve not had a plan with him, and I refuse to believe that that he’s as bad as he’s looked this year. Well worth a risk, and Woodlands Opera is just too big, I thought he’d be favourite, and he’ll love this.
Main Bets
Man of Plenty ew
Delta Work win
Sandymount Duke 66’s ew
Sizing Granite 100’s
Sizing Granite 66’s ew
Champagne West ew
Woodlands Opera winSavers
Fine Theatre
Lyreen Lad
Jetz
Edwulf
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