Townendheads Irish bid for 23rd win
The team is headed by former champion jockey Paul Townend, and the Cork native will be joined by Ben Dalton, Philip Enright and Declan Bates.
The Irish will be targeting a 23rd victory in the challenge, while reclaiming a title that was garnered by the Australians last year. At 25, Enright is the oldest representative of what has traditionally been a youthful team. The Kerryman, who rides predominantly for Robert Tyner and Henry deBromhead, has been in tremendous form recently.
Declan Bates (24), from Kilmore, has established himself as a reliable freelance, while 20-year-old fellow Wexford man Ben Dalton is the baby of the team. Townend, despite his plethora of Grade 1 successes, is still only 22.The team is captained for the 26th time by Sean Lynch, father of one of Ireland’s leading jockeys, Andrew.
In that period, Lynch has overseen the efforts of more than 100 Irish pilot, as they crossed swords with the Aussie. The challenge has taken place in Australia for the past 25 years. It was in Ireland the previous 11.
The team will fly out on August 25 and will compete at Balaklava on Cup day; the most popular country meeting in Australia that generally attracts in excess of 30,000 people.
They will also participate on Irish Day at Adelaide’s Morpettville track, an event for which all corporate tickets have already been sold.
“I’d like to wish the four travelling jockeys the best of luck” said Brian Kavanagh, chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland yesterday.
“I am sure they will fly the flag as Irish horses and horse people have been doing for years, and hopefully gain the crown back again this year.
“The first visit was in 1987, with that illustrious team consisting of four champion jockeys - Frank Berry, Tony Mullins, Joe Byrne and Tommy Carmody. So there’s plenty pressures!”
