Paul Townend booked for first Exeter visit

Paul Townend is the relishing the “new experience” when he travels to Exeter for the first time for the Safer Gambling At CopyBet Mares’ Chase on Friday.

The seven-time Irish champion jump jockey makes the trip across the Irish Sea for trainer Willie Mullins aboard Fun Fun Fun, the eight-year-old who is owned by the ‘double green’ team of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

It will be Townend’s first appearance at the Devon racecourse and the 35-year-old admitted he sought advice from two close friends ahead of the three-mile Listed contest.

“It will be a new experience for me,” he said. “I’ve seen plenty of racing from Exeter, but I’ve never been there, so it’s nice to go there and try something else.

“Hopefully, we are going there with a big chance. It’s always nice to go anywhere with a big chance and I am looking forward to it.

“I was chatting to Johnny Burke about the place and I gave Ruby (Walsh) a ring, as he has been around there more than anyone else I know. Ruby is the go-to man and had plenty of pointers for me.

“I’ll get there nice and early and have a walk around the course. We were watching Exeter closely earlier in the year when Lulamba won there and 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.

“Fun Fun Fun has won there over hurdles and has got beat there over fences. I had a nice win on her up at Perth last year.

“On ratings, it looks a good opportunity for her and definitely one I couldn’t pass up.”

The biggest danger to the favourite in what is a three-runner field appears to be the Neil Mulholland-trained Blue Las, who is progressing well over fences.

Having unseated first time, she was then second to the exciting Diva Luna before opening account at Doncaster.

“Very happy with her, she’d come out of that race very well,” Mulholland said. “She’s fresh, she’s well and all good.

“She’s had great form all of her life. She’s improving and she’s going well. She did a nice piece of work at the weekend, she seems to be in great form so we are looking forward to running her.

“We are hopeful. Willie’s mare is the one to beat, for sure, but from where I’m concerned our mare is in good form and she’ll be there, and if she’s not, it’s because she just wasn’t good enough.”

The trio of runners is completed by Della Casa Lunga for Clive Boultbee-Brooks, who is far from a forlorn hope on her hurdles form and is entitled to be better for her first experience of fences when second at Carlisle.