Viva Devito and Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
Paul Townend moved three winners clear of injured Jack Kennedy in the jockeys' championship today, completing a treble for trainer Willie Mullins on Viva Devito (4/5f) in Fairyhouse's Easter Festival Maiden Hurdle.
Townend was crowned champion jockey for the first of five times in the 2010/11 season, finishing with 80 winners, and today reached that same number on Viva Devito.
Fourth in Punchestown's Champion Bumper last April, the tearaway six year old decided to lead after jumping today's opening hurdle and with Townend merely a passenger, he continued on his merry way and won by 22 lengths.
“I'm not sure that he settled but he looks a powerful jumper” reported Mullins, who was earlier successful with Instit and Lot Of Joy.
He added “he's very forward going and I'd imagine I'll plan a campaign at home and maybe end up at Fairyhouse at Easter. I'm hoping that going over fences could settle him and we'll look forward to that, maybe next season.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
