Paul Townend on his Galway rides: 'He was second behind Midnight Jet and that piece of form is working out well'

Paul Townend has ridden one winner from six rides at Galway this week and whilst Murcia didn't live up to expectations yesterday in the Galway Hurdle, the top jockey has some good chances to look forward to on Saturday, including a well handicapped horse and one whose form has been franked this week.

The Betway ambassador gives his thoughts on which contenders can make a splash.

Saturday

I then kick off on Saturday with Columbus in the Maiden Hurdle (14:02), and he's a horse I'm really looking forward to this weekend. He took to hurdling well when second behind Midnight Jet at Killarney, and that piece of form is working out particularly well.

He ran a bit of a stinker over at Ascot last month, but I'm happy to put a line through that based on the feel he gave me at Killarney, and I think he'll step forward for that experience.

There are a few nice types in here, and Young Rebel for Emmet Mullins and JP McManus would catch the eye, but I'm really happy with my lad going into this, so hopefully he can get off the mark over hurdles at the second time of asking.

I then ride Kimi De Mai in the Handicap Hurdle (14:37), and you'd have to say she's been disappointing since joining us from France, so hopefully she can put her best foot forward here. She did run well for Sean (Cleary-Farrell) at the Dublin Racing Festival, but she just couldn't back that up when a disappointing odds-on favourite at Cork the next day, so she really needs to get back on track here.

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that she could get involved here because her work at home is good, but she's probably going to need a career best to win a race this competitive.

I wrap up Saturday with Dani Donadoni in the Listed Handicap Hurdle (15:12), and I think he'll appreciate this step back up in trip after running well behind Lizzie Twigg over two miles at Roscommon the last day. He's a horse that's been running consistently well of late, so he probably deserves to get his head back in front, and the handicapper dropping him a few pounds certainly won't harm his chance.

Bunting has some really nice form to his name, and I suppose he'd have been the obvious choice, but he's just a horse that finds winning particularly difficult, so I've gone with the potential of Dani Donadoni over him, and if he does things right, hopefully I'm on the right one.