SOME MAJOR riding stars have spent careers trying to win the Guinness Galway Hurdle but the 17-year-old apprentice Paul Townend managed it on just his 20th ride over jumps when guiding Indian Pace to victory in yesterday's festival feature.
It was a remarkable success for a jockey who enjoyed his first success over hurdles just four weeks ago and whose first ever winner came only 13 months previously on the flat.
Despite his inexperience, however, Townend looked completely at home as he powered the John Kiely-trained winner past Eagle's Pass on the final climb to win by a length.
Back in third was the favourite Northern Alliance whose jockey Ruby Walsh still has to land the €220,000 highlight while Dariak finished fourth.
"I got into a little bit of trouble on the far side but it was a good way out. I switched him out and he was fine," said the youngster from Midleton, Co Cork, who is apprenticed to Willie Mullins.
"We were getting there but I wasn't sure until near the line," added Townend.
Kiely for one believed Townend's 5lb claim was important in gaining him a second Galway Hurdle success.
Black Queen won for the Co Waterford trainer 10 years ago and Indian Pace's owners - the Lawless By Nature Syndicate - include the RTÉ racing presenter Brian Gleeson.
"The claim was a big help. Paul gave him a good ride and is an up-and-coming rider," said Kiely whose long-time ante-post favourite for the race, King Rama, was withdrawn at the weekend because of injury.
"This horse never wore blinkers for me before but I thought he was looking around him here on Monday so we stuck them on. They didn't do any harm," added Kiely, who had been targeting yesterday's race since Indian Pace finished sixth in January's Pierse Hurdle.
The horse could be sent chasing soon, which might prove a challenge for Townend, a son of the former jumps jockey Tim Townend, but one the precocious former pony-racing champion might be up for.
It proved a frustrating day overall for Ruby Walsh, who finished only fourth in the Beginners Chase on board the favourite, Uncle Junior, whose jumping let him down behind the Barry Geraghty-ridden winner Tasman.
He also had to settle for third in the novice hurdle on Lucky Wish, who couldn't cope with the English raider No Panic, who in turn fell prey to Denis O'Regan's late pounce on Define.
"We might look at something for him before Listowel but this was the plan," said the Cork-based trainer James Motherway.
Miranda's Girl became the first horse to win twice here this week when adding to Monday's triumph with a three-parts-of-a-length defeat of Fictional Account in the seven-furlong handicap.
It was a memorable triumph for the father-and-son team of Tom and Rory Cleary and the winning trainer said: "I was confident because the way she worked on Wednesday indicated she was better than on Monday. She'd go again now but we'll give her a break instead."
It took only 35 minutes before Maundy Money also notched a festival double when landing the mile Arthur Guinness Handicap just 48 hours after also scoring for the Colm O'Donoghue-David Marnane team.
Skip Two had a length in hand of the favourite, Dreamy Gent, at the end of the Guinness Novice Chase, and trainer Davy Fitzgerald is now eyeing the Kerry National at Listowel.
"I didn't think he'd be quick enough for this trip but this horse is improving. We will see what Noel O'Brien (the handicapper) says but the Kerry National is something we'd look at," said Fitzgerald.
