Straight Home justifies favouritism under Jody Townend Cheltenham Festival winning rider Jody Townend renewed acquaintances with Straight Home, a horse she knows well, when landing the BoyleSports Supporting Irish Racing Mares Handicap Hurdle at Ballinrobe. Now in the care of Willie Mullins, the eight-year-old Yeats mare was formerly trained by Timothy Townend, father of Jody and brother Paul(Townend). Having won a point-to-point and bumper on Straight Home for her father, the mare was subsequently recommended to Mullins, for whom she won at Clonmel on her penultimate start. Sent off 5/2f here, the market leader looked in trouble after two out but rallied to jump the final flight in third. Soon going second early on the rn-in, Townend headed leader Jolie Jewel over 100 yards out, staying on to win by four lengths. “Dad actually still owns her and she’s leased to Whitegrass. That’s my third winner on her now so she’s been good to me,” said Townend. “We only cantered around, I thought we’d go an awful lot quicker, and she was loving it the whole way. “When they came up around me I was happy enough to sit turning in. Philip (Enright) came in and I had to switch out and it probably helped me, having something to aim at down the straight. “She needs a trip. She’s done that and whatever else she does is a bonus. “The track have done a brilliant job with the way the weather has been. It’s nice summer good ground and the sting has gone out of it so it’s safe.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
