Nap of the Day: Townend to Tramore for one? Yes please

It's a quiet Tuesday on the racing front, but there's a jockey booking over in Ireland that has caught my attention for Nap of the Day purposes.

Man-of-the-moment Paul Townend gets out of bed for one engagement at Tramore. Interesting...

Fresh off the back of steering Gaelic Warrior to glory in that enthralling John Durkan, Paul Townend heads to Tramore for one ride on Tuesday - MAHON FALLS in a mares' maiden hurdle over 2m5f.

That could be a tip in itself that Willie Mullins' four-year-old son of Buck's Boum, the sire of the yard's two-time Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo, is fancied to open her account at the fourth time of asking.

She ran encouragingly behind a nice filly of Andrew Slattery's in a bumper at Wexford in September on racecourse debut, before finishing sixth in an 18-runner affair at Listowel in September that's worked out very well.

The winner, Mister Pessimistic for Henry de Bromhead, was a highly-regarded point-to-point recruit and he's since won first time out over hurdles. The runner-up claimed Listed honours on his next start at Cheltenham's November Meeting, while the third-placed Grey Jude was in the winners' enclosure at Cork on Sunday.

It's a strong piece of form and so it was no surprise to see the selection sent off 8/11f for her debut over timber at Sligo last month.

She ultimately failed to reward that support, but the 112-rated winner Our Lucky Lady, who was six lengths clear of us in second, was in receipt of seven pounds and got first run on the field.

I suspect Townend will ride her a lot closer to the pace on this occasion, which should help, it's just how she'll cope with the step up to 2m5f on heavy ground that's the unknown. Otherwise, she's got leading claims in this company.

Moody Girl can give her the most to think about for Ian Donoghue. She was third to a nice horse called Stictotheprocess on hurdling debut in similar conditions, but I do think she was flattered by the official margin. Her previous form is miles away from what's required here.

Working Away can't be ruled out for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown, but she's seven and wears a tongue tie after disappointing on her belated debut at Cork earlier this month. Alarm bells. Ringing.

Barra Run was third in that same race at Cork and she's got every chance, but conceding nine pounds to the selection won't be easy.

Hopefully it proves a worthwhile journey for the in-form Townend (37% strike rate in the past fortnight).

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