Fighter Allen makes Townend's journey worthwhile

Paul Townend travelled north-west for one ride at Sligo and made the journey worthwhile when easy-to-back 5/2 joint-favourite Fighter Allen landed the winners-of-one chase.

The French-bred was without a win since the season before last and was well held  in the Galway Plate and a conditions chase at Tramore last month.

Trained by Willie Mullins for Chris Jones, the eight-year-old made almost all to beat fellow joint-favourite The Little Yank by six lengths.

Townend said: "He's promised a lot and is a well-related horse but just finds winning hard.  

"The small field suited him but we thought the same going to Tramore and he disappointed us down there. He can jump a bit better than he did today, there was no real fluency in it, but he got in some kind of a rhythm and started enjoying himself in front, I suppose. It was a nice opportunity for him and it's nice to get another '1' beside his name. 

"I had to give him a slap down the back just to get him to concentrate, he put down on me at one, and he was taking it all in but he went to the line strongly, in fairness.

"That's only the third race he's won for us and I would hope that he can step forward from this."