Irish Champion Jockey Paul Townend is the latest Closutton inmate to make the quest across the Irish Sea as he partners the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede owned Fun Fun Fun at Exeter on Friday.
This comes in the midst of Champion Amateur Patrick Mullins’ own journey to conquer to tick off a winner at each of Britain’s 40 National Hunt tracks.
Townend won on her at Perth last April, and bids to better her fourth here as a novice last season. Speaking to Sporting Life, Townend said “It will be a new experience for me.
“I’ve seen plenty of racing from Exeter, but I’ve never been there, it’s nice to go and try something else.”
Townend is no stranger to success away from his native Ireland, with a combined 89 winners across 21 British tracks.
Cheltenham and Aintree are the obvious catalysts for Townend’s British feats, though Perth, Ffos Las and Bangor having also been happy hunting grounds from a smaller sample.
Townend seeks advice from Exeter specialists
Jonathan Burke, who has 19% strike rate over the Exeter fences in the last five seasons, has given Townend advice.
As has his predecessor Ruby Walsh: “he has been around there more than anyone else I know.”
Unsurprisingly, “Ruby is the go-to man” for Townend, who had “plenty of pointers” for the Exeter newcomer. Walsh was second on both occasions the superstar Kauto Star rode Exeter, including the 2005 Haldon Gold Cup.
“I’ve seen videos of Kauto Star racing there, so it is a place I am familiar with and it looks a good place to ride.”
Though beaten at short odds here last season, Townend has provided optimism that she has a favourites chance again.
“On Ratings, it looks a good opportunity for her and definitely one I couldn’t pass up.”
The Martaline mare has just two rivals to face in Blue Las and Della Casa Lunga.
She is two from two at this trip, though whether she wants this trip on deep ground poses a question.
The centrepiece of the card comes in the 3:45 with Art Decco bidding to land back to back Devon National’s, while the curtain closer see’s the 2020 Coral Gold Cup winner Cloth Cap’s half brother All About Trev make his racecourse debut for Jeremy Scott and Lorcan Williams.
The Townend factor will hopefully boost the crowd on what will be a special day as they host their first Community Raceday, crowning the inaugural Community Champion.