Hens Tooth gives Townend and Mullins doubles Rarely-seen Hens Tooth (11/4) was a deserving winner of Navan’s 2m6f maiden hurdle today, as the eight-year-old confirmed some early career promise in giving champion jockey Paul Townend and champion trainer Willie Mullins doubles. A point-to-point and bumper winner in 2023, the lightly-raced son of Getaway reappeared following a 619-day layoff last December, when he trailing home last, beaten 172 lengths, in Punchestown. Today, on his third start of the season, Hens Tooth raced prominently and battled well to beat San Hilario by 9.5 lengths. Townend, earlier successful on Mullins’ Gigginstown House Stud-owned Moulin Labbe, stated "he has built on each run this season and really is a staying chaser in the making. When we were getting taken on over the first couple of hurdles, I was fighting him which he wasn't enjoying. Once I let him go though, he dropped the bridle, took in the scenery and relaxed. "It is nice to see it, as he took a big step forward on his second run back and again today he has built on that as well. I think he can keep building and whatever he does over hurdles is only a bonus." Quotes from Michael Graham
