Another National for Townend

He has won a Leinster National on Emma Jane and an Ulster National on Ballytrim and today Paul Townend added the Munster equivalent to his collection when he got Treacle home by a head in a thrilling finish from Dashing George

For winning trainer, Tom Taaffe, this was a win he'll remember as he told the assembled press: "That's a sweet one I can tell you."

He went on: "I'm delighted for the owner, Bjorn Nielsen, he is in New York, living there for the past 35 years. He has a good team of horses with me. This fellow got a leg when winning at Fairyhouse in a novice chase about two years ago. He was off for eighteen months. He lacks experience but he doesn't lack guts and he is progressive.

"It was a tall order today coming here when the ground was gone. You need a fit horse for that type of ground. Luckily we got away with it, he had enough guts. He got a super ride off Paul. The winning of the race was getting stopped on the rail before he turned in and he got a chance to sit on him as opposed to getting there and obviously the light-weight helped as well.

"I'd suppose we'll be thinking of November and December, the Troytown and the Paddy Power and then he'll have a break and we'll have him for the spring. Obviously there is a little race in England there in November as well (the Hennessy) and that is a consideration as well. That is only about his sixth race over fences and he is on the way up."