'She was entitled to do that on her handicap form' - Paul Townend lands double

Saturday: Punchestown

It was doubles all around as Paul Townend and Donagh Meyler took the opening day plaudits at Punchestown's summer meeting with two victories each.

The performance of the day undoubtedly came from Heia, who was the opening leg of Townend’s double in the mares' novice hurdle. The daughter of No Risk At All led at the fifth flight and never looked back, kicking on in the home straight to win by ten lengths.

Townend said: "Her jumping definitely helped. We were going a stride slow early on to use her jumping, so I elected to take it up at the top of the hill and just boss the race from there. She was entitled to do that on her handicap form, but we had to use her experience."

The second half of the champion jockey’s double came from the quirky Tax For Max, who finally managed to break his duck over hurdles.

He settled well under Townend and showed a really good attitude to fend off the challenge of Esperti for a three-and-a-half-length success.

Townend said: "He was more manageable than I thought and maybe he's learning more now. We were going a nice gallop, which suited him too, and he's a grand horse.

"He's doing the world of good to win. He's been running in some competitive races and hard races without winning, so that'll do his confidence good."

Paul Townend: landed a double on Heia and Tax For MaxCredit: Edward Whitaker

Meyler was another rider in fine form at the Kildare venue with a 48-1 double. Alpha Male provided the Kilkenny jockey with his first winner of the afternoon for Peter Maher, who continued his recent love affair with Punchestown with his second winner in four days at the track.

Meyler said: "He jumped and travelled well. I was glad to get a tow down to the second-last and he actually had a little look around coming down to the last. He won snugly enough in the end. To be fair to my old horse, he stuck his head down and rallied all the way to the line."

Francois finally got off the mark for Mary Ellen Doyle providing Meyler with his second winner of the afternoon, and it was not before time for the seven-year-old.

"We had to go back to the drawing board after his last few runs but we got it right with him today. We're very happy. It was a good performance; he came on from his run in Wexford and did the job for us," said Doyle.

Phillip Enright continued his fine start to the new season, steering Louise Lyon’s Espion Du Chenet to victory in the opening handicap chase. He had to be patient, but he picked his way through the field and produced him well at the last before running out a nice winner.

Enright said: "They told me to just leave the horse to jump and he warmed to it then. They said just get him relaxed and he'll come home well. The lightweight was probably a big help.

"He winged the second-last. I got there maybe a little sooner than I wanted, but I was rolling and he kept going. He was like a ballerina at the last."

Results, replays and analysis

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