Paul Townend: 'We're expected to win every day we go racing - for Cheltenham, it's just that on steroids'
Champion jockey Paul Townend talks to Ireland editor Richard Forristal
We're meandering towards the conclusion of our conflab in the sumptuous confines of the Lyrath Estate Hotel on the outskirts of Kilkenny city when Paul Townend says something irreverent that makes me pause for thought.
The conversation has veered on to his duel with Jack Kennedy for the Irish jockeys' championship. Kennedy has been plagued with injuries so this is the first decent run he has had at it and plenty of neutrals have been willing him over the line.
However, the Willie Mullins-fuelled Townend spectre looms large, ominously bearing down on the pretender as the spring festivals come into sight.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inThe Big Read
Last updated
Copy- 'I'm in a very fortunate position - but what happened to farmers is happening to trainers even worse'
- 'Being the most successful female jockey ever is all right - it's not champion jockey, though, is it?'
- 'We felt pushed into a corner' - how stable staff brought Guineas day to a standstill and changed the industry forever
- 'I came in for a lot of ridicule and some of it was rough - but everyone here always had my back'
- 'You always look up to the champion jockey - and I can't believe that's going to be me'
- 'I'm in a very fortunate position - but what happened to farmers is happening to trainers even worse'
- 'Being the most successful female jockey ever is all right - it's not champion jockey, though, is it?'
- 'We felt pushed into a corner' - how stable staff brought Guineas day to a standstill and changed the industry forever
- 'I came in for a lot of ridicule and some of it was rough - but everyone here always had my back'
- 'You always look up to the champion jockey - and I can't believe that's going to be me'