HE MAY be the leading active rider at the Cheltenham Festival, but as we approach another Festival, for Paul Townend the excitement is just as great as ever.
“It’s always exciting, if it wasn’t exciting, you wouldn’t be doing it,” the seven-time Irish Champion Jockey said.
Despite having ridden 38 Festival winners, including four last year, Townend doesn’t have a target to reach next month.
“I don’t put numbers on it to be honest,” he said. “It’s the old cliché, one on the board early is actually so important. If you’ve a good book of rides the first day and one of them can click, it does take the monkey off your back.”
He brushed aside suggestions that he could catch Willie Mullins’ former stable jockey, Ruby Walsh’s Cheltenham Festival record of 59 winners.
“I think it’s a bit far away, we’ll just ride as many as we can there. I don’t like setting numbers for winners at Cheltenham or in a season, and trying to get to targets – I just find you set yourself up for disappointment if you don’t get there.”
There is one record that Townend does have his eye on though, being tied with Pat Taaffe as the winning-most jockey in Gold Cup history on four successes, with the last two of those coming on Mullins’ staying star Galopin Des Champs.
“That is one I have looked at all right, and I wouldn’t mind putting my name on top of that list. It’s something I’d love to do, but four is no mean feat either.”
The feeling of a Cheltenham winner never gets old, and 15 years on from his first Festival win on What A Charm in the Fred Winter, passing the line in front is something Townend relishes all the more now.
“It gets better every time, it’s addictive. I remember the first time I rode a winner in Cheltenham, and it was brilliant to get a winner, but I didn’t know what to expect or what to do. My first Gold Cup, I thought nothing would ever top that, but every one is better.”
Partnering Galopin Des Champs to a third Gold Cup victory would surely top the lot, and Townend isn’t giving up on the two-time winner just yet, despite two defeats at Leopardstown this season.
“It [Irish Gold Cup] was a good race, and Fact To File was very good on the day. He gave me a better feel than he probably had done at Christmas. He was more alive and the rustiness from Christmas was gone. I suppose the last half-mile was probably a little disappointing, but I actually got a good feel from him throughout the race.
If Gaelic Warrior was to line-up in the Gold Cup, would Townend consider getting off Galopin Des Champs?
“Nothing is impossible, but it would be very hard. I don’t think Galopin is finished yet. If I got off him and he went by me up the hill, I’d be keeping a wide berth from myself on the plane home that’s for sure!
“Of course, I’d love it for the horse and I’d never turn away another Gold Cup, that’s for sure. I thought there was a lot to like during the race at Leopardstown last time and hopefully we can build on that.” Despite all the winning Festival moments Mullins and Townend have enjoyed together, another Gold Cup triumph for Galopin Des Champs would probably rank as their best.
