Paul Townend delivers on State Man at Punchestown but unlikely to retain Champion Jockey title
Jockey Paul Townend and State Man after winning the Boodles Champion Hurdle during day four of the Punchestown Festival at Punchestown Racecourse in Kildare. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
ALL eyes were on the €300k Grade One Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on the penultimate day of the festival.
The ongoing race for the Champion Jockey crown has dominated much of the rhetoric this week. And despite a Grade One double, Lisgoold's Paul Townend is unlikely to retain his Championship.
However, there was a major Cork theme to the featured race, Townend linking up with undoubtedly his favourite horse State Man for Joe and Marie Donnelly and yet another major pay-day.
The Champion Hurdle winner State Man landed his 10th Grade One victory here on day four of the Punchestown Festival. In the process, he maintained his unbeaten record at Punchestown with a fifth course victory.
State Man beat his newly found rival Irish Point in the Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown. The seven-year-old followed up his Cheltenham victory with yet another Grade One success.
Irish Point had kept State Man honest at Cheltenham in March in the Champion Hurdle. Some observers felt Jack Kennedy should have kicked for home sooner that day. He was anxious to make it a test of stamina and was still in front turning in.
However, Townend looked to be going better on State Man and he swept by at the final flight. State Man pinged the last but Irish Point made him work all the way to the line. Ultimately State Man retained his crown by two lengths.
Townend was loud in his praise for the winner afterward: "I love riding him because It's so simple to ride this lad and that's probably why I have such a soft spot for him."
Ballyburn wasn't as impressive as he'd been in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. The six-year-old didn't jump as well as he can but completed a hat-trick of Grade One victories with three and a quarter lengths to spare.
He'd put in a few sloppy jumps but pinged the last to win going away. Townend's double on Friday is unlikely to reel in Jack Kennedy who looks poised to win his first Irish Jump Jockey's title.
Townend's marquee ride on Saturday is aboard the mare Lossiemouth who bids to follow up her Cheltenham victory in the mares hurdle. She's set to go off at prohibitive odds.
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