Townend bubble yet to burst as top jockey hails best week of his career

Champion jockey Paul Townend is still pinching himself after an incredible treble at Cheltenham on Friday, which left him on five winners for the week and with top jockey honours at the festival for the first time.

The 29-year-old beat Barry Geraghty to the top jockey award on countback but was not resting on his laurels, returning to the saddle at Navan less than 24 hours after partnering Al Boum Photo to Gold Cup glory for the second year in a row.

“It hasn't sunk in yet,” he said after the opening maiden hurdle at Navan on Saturday, when his mount Blackbow had gone down by a short-head.

It was a defeat which would have left a frown on the face of many a rider, but it didn't take long for the smile to reappear on Townend's face when asked to reflect on the best week of his career.

“It ended up being a good week,” he said with characteristic understatement. “When I get time to reflect on it I will probably say it was the best week of my career. Five winners at Cheltenham is a huge week; it's fair going.”

Although Al Boum Photo becoming the first horse since Best Mate to retain his Gold Cup crown was Friday's highlight, it was a final day which also featured a strong ride on Monkfish in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle and the undoubtedly very fortunate success of Burning Victory in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

Monkfish (centre): Paul Townend forces his mount ahead to win the Albert BartlettCredit: Edward Whitaker

“I haven't seen the races back yet to be honest. I watched the Gold Cup on the phone on the way to the airport and that was about it,” he said.

He added: “We got the bounce of the ball yesterday. We were going to be a good second in the Triumph after jumping badly. There is an engine in Burning Victory, but it was very tough on the Moores.”

Coming back to the Gold Cup and how Friday's race compared with that of a year ago, Townend added: “It was a different race entirely but I tried to ride him the same way. We got into a rhythm and stayed out of trouble.

"I knew going out that it was not going to be run at the same gallop as last year, but I tried to ride a race to suit him and the result was the same, thankfully. We didn't want to be in front at the top of the hill but it might have turned into a good thing.”

Asked if he was aware of the mostly social media backlash against Cheltenham going ahead, especially in Ireland, Townend said: “I was very much in the bubble from Sunday afternoon.

"I was getting the updates on my phone and obviously this coronavirus is a very serious thing, but I was in the bubble and am only really coming out of it now. I wasn't really aware of how severe things were over here.”

And it didn't take Townend to get back among the winners as just 70 minutes after Blackbow's defeat he produced a great waiting ride to come from last to first to land the 2m6½f aboard Francin.

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