The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Perth Festival:
Townshend gets top trainer Willie Mullins’ day off to a flyer as he strikes gold again
It was another victory at Perth for the Willie Mullins-Paul Townend combination, with the odds-on favourite Townshend an easy winner of the first race on the card.
Elsewhere, chasing the Trainers’ Championship title, Paul Nicholls had an across-the-card treble at Warwick and Exeter, increasing his lead over Mullins to £53,556.
Donald McCain’s Witness In Court, an emphatic winner of the feature race on the Perth card – the Kilmany Cup – won the race for the second year running for owner Tim Leslie and jockey Henry Brooke.
The 12-1 chance romped home 2¼ lengths clear of Mullins’ Tennis Cap.
Brooke said: “He’s absolute class and a smashing little horse. He jumped around great and seems to love it here.”
Dicky Johnson, who will be presented with the Champion Jockey trophy at Sandown tomorrow by Sir Anthony McCoy, has surpassed his great rival’s final season total of 231 winners with a double on the day courtesy of Philip Hobbs’ Braavos in the Handicap Hurdle and Ink Master in the Novice Handicap Chase.
Afterwards, Johnson said: “It has been a fantastic season and I’ve managed a consistent flow of winners.
“It’s thanks to everyone who lets me ride, and I hope to put a few more winners on the board.”
Sarah Hobbs, wife of Philip Hobbs, said: “It’s great for him, he works so hard.”
Townshend had disappointed favourite backers on his first two starts for Mullins at Fairyhouse and Kempton respectively but, dropped in grade, he was a prohibitively priced 1-2 market leader.
Paul Townend sent the odds-on shot to the front from the start and, while his jumping left plenty to be desired in the home straight, he had enough in hand to score by nine lengths from Outlaw Josey Wales.
Having scooped £3,899 with Townshend’s victory, Mullins added a further £4,620 to the pot after Tennis Cap filled the runner-up spot in the Lindsays HandicapChase.
Mullins has one runner at Perth today, with Rolly Baby declared for the McCarthy & Stone Chase, ahead of what promises to be an enthralling afternoon as the season comes to a close at Sandown.