Paul ready to go to Town with some early winners

NOS CAN GET CLOSUTTON OFF TO A FLYER

PAUL Townend will be expected to kick-off his 2022-2023 campaign successfully on board Nos Na Gaoithe in today’s Irish Stallion Farms Mares Hurdle in Cork.

The Corkman (right) was crowned champion-jockey for the fifth time last week, at the end of a Punchestown Festival which saw him ride no less than seven Grade 1 winners.

And, while Nos Na Gaoithe is unlikely to develop into one of Closutton’s stars, the five-year-old Yeats mare showed enough in four bumper outings to suggest that she should make her mark over flights.

The selection scored on her debut, in Sligo last August, and has been highly-tried since, finishing fifth to the exciting and unbeaten The Model Kingdom in a listed event at Navan in November.

She then started favourite for a similar event at Cheltenham in January, but, having raced freely, managed only tenth place behind Mullenbeg.

And, last time, she helped force the pace in another listed event, at Fairyhouse, before weakening early in the straight to finish fifth behind Dorans Weir.

Sure to be well-schooled, Nos Na Gaoithe is quite likely to dictate the pace and should give her rider the perfect start to his new season.

The Tack Room, trained by John Kiely, finished a staying and eye-catching third behind Digby at Fairyhouse last time.

That was only his fifth start and, raised 2lb., he looks potentially well-treated off 113 in the Follow U On Twitter Handicap Hurdle.

And Emancipator, formerly trained by Donie Hassett, bolted-up on his first start for Terence O’brien in Clonmel recently, coming home 20 lengths clear, off 89, in a handicap chase and was raised 15lb.

He races today off an identical hurdle mark and should take plenty of beating.