Mullins never doubted Townend was man to take reins from Ruby
SEAMLESS TRANSITION: Ruby Walsh, left, presents Paul Townend with the leading jockey trophy at last week's Cheltenham Festival. Picture: David Davies/PA
In sport, replacing a legend can be a tricky business, a reality perhaps best illustrated by Manchester United’s travails since the retirement of Alex Ferguson 11 years ago.
Within weeks of Ferguson’s exit, Paul Nicholls found himself facing the same challenge when Ruby Walsh announced he would no longer be riding for the Ditcheat maestro. Like United, Nicholls struggled to find a suitable replacement, failing to do so until Harry Cobden was handed the gig five years later.
Willie Mullins was the main beneficiary from Walsh’s split with Nicholls but Ireland’s perennial champion trainer himself had to look towards life after Ruby when the legendary jockey announced his retirement after winning the Punchestown Gold Cup in 2019.
Fortunately for Mullins, he had Paul Townend waiting in the wings, a man who had ended the trainer’s Cheltenham Gold Cup hoodoo by partnering Al Boum Photo to victory in the most prestigious race on the jumps racing calendar six weeks earlier. Three more Gold Cup wins have followed, the most recent coming last Friday when Galopin Des Champs emulated Al Boum Photo by winning the Festival highlight for a second time. As transitions go, this one has been seamless.
Mullins insists he never had any doubt that Townend would be up to the task.
“I never thought about it. To me, it was always going to be,” Mullins said. “Paul was second jockey to Ruby for I don’t know how many years and every time Ruby went to England or got injured, Paul stepped into his shoes and we never had any problems. I was actually surprised at the time that the press were wondering if he would take over.”
However, Mullins did concede that Townend did initially feel the pressure of being the main man.
“It never (initially) crossed my mind that there would be more pressure on Paul. He probably felt it a little bit in the early stages. He did say to me one day about six months after he took over if he could have his old job back. He was after picking the wrong one at Punchestown or somewhere like that a few times. It’s much easier to ride as a second jockey alright but I had full confidence in him, I always had. He’s a totally different style of riding to Ruby, and you have to get used to that, but I’ve been used to it for years and the winners have kept coming.”
They most certainly have. Mullins became a Cheltenham centurion last week, saddling nine winners in total. Six of them were partnered by Townend, taking his overall Festival tally to 34.
His ride on Absurde in the County Hurdle on Gold Cup day was especially impressive as he weaved his way to victory from a seemingly impossible position.
In doing so, he evoked memories of a similarly inspired ride on I Am Maximus in last year’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National, a race Mullins recalled with pride yesterday.
“I thought Paul was going to pull him up and when he pulled him to the outside he just started to gallop a bit better but, undoubtedly, it was some ride. Paul was thinking on his feet the whole way and to get that performance out of the horse with the first two miles that the horse put in. I thought it was just extraordinary horsemanship. Paul was a real jockey at Cheltenham when winning on Galopin Des Champs last year and then he showed the horseman he was coming back to Fairyhouse and putting in the performance he did there.”
Like the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Mullins had to wait longer than he would have wanted to add his name to the Irish National roll of honour. The stars finally aligned five years ago when Burrows Saint gave Walsh a third victory in the Easter Monday highlight.
Asked if that win compared favourably to other big-race triumphs, Mullins replied: “It does because it took us a long time to win it. My father won it four times so it was an itch that needed scratching. It gave me as much pleasure as winning any race.”
Nick Rockett looks set to be the main Closutton contender at Fairyhouse this time and Mullins hopes the decision to swerve Cheltenham for this assignment will be vindicated.
“He’s performed well twice or three times around Fairyhouse and I love horses for courses. Paul was very happy the last time at Fairyhouse and we thought that instead of going to Cheltenham we should aim him for here and that’s what we’ve been doing. We’re very happy with how he is.
“He jumps, he’s won over the track, he’s a novice coming up the ranks, he has a nice weight (10st 13lb), Paul is very happy to ride him and he jumps around Fairyhouse so well so he ticks all the boxes. We’ve just got to get him there in the right order and at the moment I’m very happy with him.” Regarding his other entries, Mullins added: “This race comes into play for Stattler now, if he'd run at Cheltenham (the Cross Country Chase was abandoned) he would maybe have gone to Aintree, but he's now in the running to run here.
“Monkfish was disappointing at Cheltenham so wouldn't come here, Mr Incredible only ran the other day so it's too close, the same with Adamantly Chosen. Embassy Gardens and James Du Berlais the same.
“Bronn was disappointing in Naas, but if I could get him back right he could go there. Minella Cocooner has run well there, has the credentials, stays all day and has a nice weight (11st 1lb) as well.
“Ontheropes is 36 (on the ballot) but I think he is more or less in and is our other likely runner.”
