Mullins to give Townend every chance to prove his fitness in time for Aintree

Ireland's champion trainer Willie Mullins will give Paul Townend every possible chance to prove his fitness in time for this weekend’s Grand National meeting at Aintree after the champion jockey injured his right foot in a fall at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Townend was forced to sit out Monday’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National – won by 150-1 shot Freewheelin Dylan – having suffered a heavy fall from Egality Mans, and was replaced on Agusta Gold by Danny Mullins.

The trainer said: “Paul is going to have another visit with his doctor during the week. We're going to take it bit by bit and see how he's going before we make any firm decisions.”

The extent of Townend's injury is unclear, but Ruby Walsh suggested on RTE television’s coverage of Monday’s racing that riding arrangements for leading Grand National contender Burrows Saint and the remainder of Mullins' string were up in the air.

Burrows Saint: Mullins' leading contender for Saturday's Grand NationalCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Walsh said: “It’s not his ankle, it’s his right foot. I'm not sure if it’s his metatarsal or higher up. It’ll depend on how the CT scans go to see exactly where the fracture is. Metatarsals, they’d probably be ten or 12 days [of recuperation].”

Burrows Saint, the 2019 Irish Grand National hero, is a general 8-1 chance for Aintree glory while Mullins’ four-strong assault on the race is bolstered by Class Conti, Acapella Bourgeois and Cabaret Queen.

Townend is ten winners clear of Rachael Blackmore in the jockeys’ championship with just 14 meetings remaining in the jumps calendar.

Should he be ruled out for a significant duration of the remaining month of the season, it would thrust Blackmore into pole position to seize a landmark title.

As well as missing out on riding Agusta Gold in the Irish National, Townend was also booked to partner Stormy Ireland and Easy Game, who won the supporting Grade 2 races on the card.

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