Successful, but poignant, day for the Townends

It was quite a day for the Townends as, after Paul's Irish National triumph on I Am Maximus sister Jody and father Timothy teamed up to win the concluding the mares' point-to-point bumper at Cork with the 11/4 favourite Straight Home

Patiently ridden, the Kildorrery winner improved from halfway and went out after clear leader Miss Oreo once turning for home. The daughter of Yeats reeled in the front-runner over a furlong out and stayed on well to beat Lucky Viv who came through to take second close home, by five and a half lengths.

It was a poignant, as well as successful day, for the family though as Bob Townend, uncle of Jody and Paul, passed away last Friday.

Jody Townend reflected: "That is a special win for us and Bob is definitely looking down on us and it was great to get it. Bob was a character and will be missed around the place and was what you'd call a scamp.

"I don't Paul will ride a better winner (than on today's Irish National winner I Am Maximus) and it was unbelievable to watch it. I'd say he got a kick out of it too as when you ride one like that and ride them for luck, it is unreal when it works out."

She added "Straight Home is a decent mare and that race probably wasn't run to suit as I got there a bit soon. She was originally bought to breed from and Dad will hope to lease her maybe to Willie's (Mullins), with the hope of eventually breeding from her."

Quotes from Tom Weekes