Townend is going for gold

Britain’s Ollie Townend returns to the Johnson and Perrott Land Rover Ballindenisk International Horse Trials on a horse he’s nicknamed Imperial Disaster, and Bandon-based Michael Ryan feels he’s still a good bet to win the Goresbridge Go For Gold €50,000 bonus.

Townend is the only rider who can take the prize after winning the first two legs last September and April.

While he has opted to bring back his 2012 winner, the mercurial Imperial Master (aka Imperial Disaster), Ryan feels the Briton’s propensity for winning means he cannot bediscounted.