Paul Townend

Born in Midleton, County Cork on September 15, 1990, Paul Townend became stable jockey to Willie Mullins at Closutton, County Carlow following the retirement of Ruby Walsh on May 1, 2019. That season he won his second Irish jump jockeys’ title, having won his first, aged just 20, in 2010/11. Indeed, following his promotion, he would retain his title for the next four seasons running.

As far as the Cheltenham Festival is concerned, Townend rode his first winner, What A Charm, trained by Arthur Moore, in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in 2011. He has since increased his career tally to 34 winners and won each of the four ‘feature’ races – the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup – at least once.

Townend has the distinction of winning the ‘Blue Riband’ event, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, four times, twice on Al Boum Photo (2019 and 2020) and twice on Galopin Des Champs (2023 and 2024). Those wins represent a welcome change of fortune for Mullins, who, prior to 2019, had saddled the runner-up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on six occasions. Of course, the future could be brighter still for Mullins, Townend and Galopin Des Champs who, at the time of writing, is top-priced 6/4 favourite to become the first horse since Best Mate, in 2004, to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup three years running.

Townend has won the Queen Mother Chase twice, on Energumene (2022 and 2023), and the Champion Hurdle and Stayers’ Hurdle once apiece, on State Man (2024) and Penhill (2018), respectively. He was also won the County Hurdle four times, the Arkle Challenge Trophy and the Triumph Hurdle three times apiece and the Ryanair Chase twice. Indeed, in 2020, 2022 and 2023, Townend won the Ruby Walsh Trophy, awarded to the leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival, having ridden five winners over the four days on each occasion.