Championship battle heats up Market activity for the Irish Jump Jockeys’ Championship has heated up significantly since the weekend with punters now concentrating on both Paul Townend and Davy Russell. Townend leads Russell by seven winners (70-63) but with Ruby Walsh set to return at the weekend to partner many of Willie Mullins’ horses, Townend is still best-priced at 11/8 (with Stan James and Bet365). Russell’s price has been cut to 2/1 (from 11/4 on Sunday, Boylesports & Bet365) following an excellent haul of seven winners over the weekend. Neither has ever been Champion Jockey although Russell (who partnered 126 winners in the ‘07/’08 season) has finished runner-up to Ruby Walsh on each of the last four seasons. Townend, on the otherhand, has risen quickly through the ranks, and is in just his third season as a jump jockey. Andrew McNamara (a 9/1 chance) and Paul Carberry (generally available at 4/1) currently lie in joint-third on 58 winners.
