Jody Towened reaching new heights with royal approval for Leopardstown trip

Cork jockey Jody Townend has enjoyed a golden spell in 2025.

On Monday, she rode the winner of the Killarney bumper, That Danny Feeling, for a Carrigtwohill syndicate and local trainer Terence O’Brien.

Tonight at Leopardstown, the Lisgoold jockey is set to ride for royalty in the concluding race. Townend is set to ride the top weight Reaching High for King Charles and Queen Camilla in the €25,000 Leopardstown Ladies Riders Handicap.

The four-year-old son of Sea The Stars was formerly trained by the now-retired Michael Stoute but is now in the care of Willie Mullins. He flopped on his final start for Stoute at York when he suffered a nightmare passage.

Earlier he’d been very impressive at Wolverhampton, dotting up in a £50K Class C handicap under Luke Morris. This marks the first occasion on which a reigning British monarch has a horse trained in Ireland.

SPRINGBOARD

Tonight’s race is being used as a springboard for a tilt at the Ascot Stakes over two and a half miles on the opening day of Royal Ascot.

While he won’t be a working man’s price, Kyprios is the star attraction in Foxrock.

Ryan Moore is due to fly in from York to partner the dual Ascot Gold Cup winner in the Group 3 €60,000 Levmoss Saval Beg Stakes at the Foxrock.

Last year, he went off 1/12 and was a workmanlike winner. He’s owned by Moyglare Stud Farm and the Coolmore partners.

Kyprios is currently evens with Paddy Power to secure a third victory in the Royal Ascot stamina test. Ryan Moore feels that he has speed and stamina but tends to pull up when he gets to the front.

We saw him at Navan recently, where he extended his winning sequence to eight on his reappearance in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes.

He was winning that race for the third time. Tonight he is a certainty to make it three Saval Beg’s and set himself up for a tilt at winning a third Ascot Gold Cup.

The recommendation is to take evens as he will be 1/2 come Royal Ascot.

WEEKEND WAGER

FRIDAY: Newbury: 4.05pm: Indian Springs (Nap): He was very impressive from off the pace in a traditionally hot Newmarket maiden.

He can defy a penalty under Oisin Murphy en route to a step up in class