Paul Townend discusses Saturday and Sunday at Galway

I have two rides on each of the final two days of the Galway Festival. The first on Saturday is

a newcomer Estelle Ma Belle (2.00). She has nice form in France where she ran in a Group 2 on the last day.

Shedoes nice work at home. It’s obviously her first run over hurdles which will benew to her but she is one we like and we are hopeful of a good run.

Ourother one Botani was impressive in a bumper in Kilbeggan and the form of theTipperary bumper she ran in the last day is working out well.

Shehas a chance as well. It wasn’t a very easy choice. It’s a typical competitivemaiden hurdle for Galway.

Great White Shark (2.30) was so impressive on Monday under my sister Jody in the amateur race it was hard to overlook her. Hopefully she can do the business and my sister won’t have the bragging rights forever.

Shewon well over three miles in Wexford the last day over hurdles. Two miles sevenwill be no problem for her. She obviously acts on the track but this race isprobably as competitive as the Galway Hurdle.

Contingency’srun in Punchestown behind Mr Adjudicator is a massive run. She ran over fencesthen and won. Eclat Des Mottes ran well in Killarney but ran a bit free.

AskSusan looks to be in off a feather weight and was only five lengths behindPeregrine Run over fences the last day. 

That’sonly the home team. There are a lot of others in there with chances. It won’tbe an easy task but I found it hard to look beyond Great White Shark after whatshe done on Monday.

Sunday

I start the last day on Poker d’ainay (2.45). The form of the race he was beaten in at Downpatrick is working out with the winner franking that form in Roscommon.

Hedid well to win a race at Wexford, which might not have been the strongestrace.

Thisis his first run in a handicap. He might be off an okay mark.

Hewas getting frustrating, running consistently well without winning. He mightjust have a nice crack in a handicap off a competitive looking mark.

Yorkhill (4.30) gets another chance after he got bumped by a loose horse in mid-air and landing in the Galway Plate. I just got unbalanced, it was one of those things.

Theone positive is he didn’t have a hard race. Up to that point, I was getting agood ride off him.

He didn’t seem to be misbehaving. On ratings he looks well in and if he behaves himself and I can stay on board this time he has a real good chance.

Paul