Paul Townend sets sights on Cheltenham Gold Cup record

Paul Townend has won four Cheltenham Gold Cups — two each on Al Boum Photo and Galopin Des Champs. Winning a fifth would give him outright ownership of a record he jointly holds with Pat Taaffe.

Paul Townend: "When I won my first Gold Cup I thought nothing would ever top that and the next year it was better." Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Records are made to be broken but, while Paul Townend is not yet thinking about the possibility of one day eclipsing Ruby Walsh’s 59 Cheltenham Festival winners, he does have his sights set on becoming the first jockey to win the Gold Cup five times.

The 35-year-old Corkman has 38 Festival winners to his name and looks certain to narrow the gap on the man he replaced as Willie Mullins’ main jockey at Prestbury Park next month.