Thirty-four Grade 1 winners for Townend - now that's a team player!

I'm sure back in the early part of the last decade, when Kate Middleton was studying the history of art at the University of St Andrews, some strapping Scotsman took a shine to her. He might have caught her eye in lectures or seen her stroll across St Salvator's Hall and thought to himself 'That's the girl I want'.

Imagine how the young man then felt when he found out this beautiful brunette was dating none other than Prince William. You could tackle a rugby player, but royalty?

Paul Townend finds himself in a similar situation. I think he is in a long-term relationship, so it has nothing to do with tugging on heartstrings but, over the last decade, he has had to step to one side to allow racing royalty to carry out its duties smoothly.