Paul Townend rode his first winner over jumps when Spiriton ran out the three length victor of the Seamus Murphy Balbriggan Retail Park Hurdle at Bellewstown. This German-bred was having his first outing for Paul Cashman.
He has Mike Smiddy´s six-year-old for three weeks and he gave all the credit to his former handler, Gerry Cully for doing "all the donkey work" with the gelding. Cashman also said of Townend, son of former jockey and trainer, Tim, "this kid will go a long long way."