Paul Townend handed five-day suspension for Energumene

Posted on : 03/16/2023
Paul Townend handed five-day suspension for Energumene
Horse Racing 

Paul Townend handed five-day suspension for Energumene ride despite winning by 10 lengths… though last year’s Champion Jockey will NOT miss out on rides for the remainder of the Cheltenham Festival

  • Paul Townend has been handed a five-day suspension for Energumene ride
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Last year’s Cheltenham Festival Champion Jockey Paul Townend has been handed a five-day suspension for his ride atop Energumene.

Townend partnered the Willie Mullins-trained gelding for a brilliant triumph in Tuesday’s showpiece the Queen Mother Champion Chase, winning by 10 lengths from Captain Guinness.

However, the stewards adjudged Townend to have allowed his mount to drift left-handed when ‘when insufficiently clear causing interference’.

This, they say, caused Rachael Blackmore, aboard Captain Guinness, to be swerved off her intended line. 

Townend, much to his and Mullins’ relief, will not have to undertake the ban until a later date, allowing him to compete for the rest of the Festival.

Paul Townend has been handed a five-day suspension for his ride atop Energumene on Wednesday

The Irish jockey was adjudged to have allowed his mount to drift left-handed when insufficiently clear

He has four rides on Thursday, including Appreciate It, who is the second favourite in the Turners Novices’ Chase. 

He is also riding Klassical Dream in the Stayers’ Hurdle and Lot Of Jot in the Mares’ Novices Hurdle, as well as Blue Lord in the Cheltenham Ryanair Chase.

The Irishman currently leads the Champion Jockey standings heading into day three, having partnered three winners so far.

Michael O’Sullivan, Patrick Mullins and Rachael Blackmore trail him, further underlining the dominance Ireland has wrought at this year’s Festival. 

Townend earlier on Wednesday had ridden a stunning ride aboard Impaire Et Passe to claim the first race of the day ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson’s fancied Hermes Allen.

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