It was a daunting task to permanently fill Ruby Walsh’s boots as Closutton’s number one, but Paul Townend has succeeded with aplomb. Prior to the departure of the Cheltenham Festival’s leading all time winning rider, Townend was still very much in the shadows of Ruby Walsh, but as with every shadow there’s a light at the waiting to shine through and the formidable duo have conquered Prestbury Park together within recent seasons.
Prior to Ruby Walsh retiring in 2019, Paul Townend had eight Festival winners spanning from 2011, beginning when landing the Fred Winter on What A Charm for Arthur Moore. Three years later, Paul Townend was three quarters of a length away from preventing Quevega a record sixth David Nicholson’s Mares Hurdle under Ruby Walsh, who timed his challenge to perfection. It was rather fitting then, to see Townend land his first Cheltenham Festival Grade 1 on Glens Melody in that famous Mares’ Hurdle which saw Annie Power fall at the last. It was a race of conflicting emotions, as it was something of a microcosm to foreshadow what will be a changing of the Closutton guard in the future, but for punters, it was immediate heartbreak.
Townend demonstrated his patient, unassuming and tactical intellect on Wicklow Brave in the County Hurdle when travelling smoothly throughout in rear, staying out of trouble by coming wide on the turn and looking like the winner some way out to give Mullins a then record seventh winner that Festival. Irish Cavalier in the Centenary Novices’ Handicap formed the rest of his 2015 hat-trick of Festival winners, a mere taster of the future dominance in the irons upon that hallowed Cotswold stage.
The post-Ruby era elevated Paul Townend to a pedestal he could only dream of, with a further 28 in the last five Festivals, forming some elite partnerships in the process. He repaid Mullins’ faith with his first of four Gold Cup winners on Al Boum Photo in 2019, before repeating that feat next season along with Galopin Des Champs’ dual heroics in 2023 and 2024. Townend was crowned leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival 2020, the first of four and inevitably counting.
A total of 34 Cheltenham Festival winners see’s Townend in third spot for the most wins at the meeting, 25 behind his predecessor Ruby Walsh and only nine behind Barry Geraghty. In the last five Festivals, he has a standout 24 winners from 91 rides (£2+), 11-34 in chases, 12-52 in hurdles, 1-5 in bumpers, 22-78 in non-handicaps though just 2-13 in handicaps, latterly with his sole handicap ride of the meeting with Absurde to notch up a second County Hurdle. His overall record at the course reads 252-37-45, amassing an impressive £4,453,449 in prize money.
The dynamic duo will be feared by all once more next week, with an ocean of chances to continue the Mullins wave of dominance. Beginning with the obvious, Galopin Des Champs bids to emulate Golden Miller, Arkle, Best Mate and Cottage Rake in becoming just the fifth horse to win three Cheltenham Gold Cups. Last years’ facile Turners Novices’ Hurdle winner gives Townend a chance to win only his second Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, with Monkfish his sole success in the contest thus far. The free going Kopek Des Bordes will require the peak of Paul’s powers to ensure he doesn’t boil over in the Supreme, but even accounting for his keenness, lightning could immediately strike in the opener on Tuesday.
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