Townend back with a winner

Paul Townend made a winning return to action following over a month on the sidelines as Saglawy justified odds-on favouritism in the opening Kilkenny Hunt Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park.

The former champion jockey injured his ankle when Killultagh Vic fell at the last in the Unibet Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and this was a timely return on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival.

The 2/5 favourite cruised past the front-running Warnaq at the penultimate flight, and Townend could afford to take things very easily on the run-in.

Third on his Irish debut at Thurles earlier this year, the Willie Mullins-trained gelding readily beat Icario by 15 lengths with Warnaq weakening to finish a further 25 lengths away in third.

Townend said, "He's a grand one to come back on as it was straight-forward. The form is working out from his first run and he improved from it, hurdling wise and everything else.

“Gordon's horse was rated 123 but I'm not sure what strength in depth was in the race. He could do no more than win I suppose and I was happy with him. He's improving and we'll see where he goes from here.

“He handled the ground better than we probably expected. It's very wet which is a help — it's sloppy.”

(GC & AM)