Paul Townend rides at Fairyhouse and Punchestown this weekend

I am not overly busy this weekend with two rides each day. I start at Fairyhouse on Saturday with Jazzaway (1.00) in the mares maiden hurdle over two and a quarter miles.

She has been running consistently okay without setting the world on fire. Gordon Elliott’s Flying Risk probably has the strongest line of form.

We would be hoping for a good run with the return to mares company being a help for her.

Charles O’Brien’s Strange Notions is a horse I rode last year and who caught my eye running well for a long way last time on New Year’s Day.

She sets a nice standard as well but probably Gordon Elliott’s is the one to beat. We would be hoping to get placed at least and anything better is a bonus.

Voix Des Tiep (2.45) ran a cracker on his first start over fences behind Tornado Flyer in Naas. Unfortunately he tipped up when well fancied in Navan on his next run.

I think a reproduction of his first run should be good enough here. Chosen Mate ran well on his last run over fences but I think the Tornado Flyer race looks the strongest bit of form. If we can keep him on his feet he should take all the beating.

Sunday

I am at Punchestown on Sunday where I am really excited to be on Carefully Selected (1.05) in the Grade 3 novice chase.

He was just touched off in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham two years ago, had an interrupted season over hurdles but ran a belter behind Minella Indo and Allaho in the Grade 1 in Punchestown.

Two and a half miles is probably on the sharp side for him. He jumps well so hopefully that will override the distance. He is a lovely novice chaser hopefully destined for bigger and better things.

City Island didn’t jump in Leopardstown and would have to jump a lot better. Dallas Des Pictons was disappointing as well. So we will be hoping Carefully Selected can win here.

I thought Blackbow (3.45) would have won at Navan when he tipped up at the last. He is on a retrieval mission after doing that. He ran well on his first run. I think any of that form should be good enough.

Hopefully the fall didn’t dent his confidence – I don’t think it did. If he reproduces one of his previous runs he will take all the beating.

Paul