Il Etait Temps’ time at the Cheltenham Festival for Paul Townend, after Lossiemouth’s Champion Hurdle success

Paul Townend will look to take two championship races in two days, as Il Etait Temps bids to follow on from Lossiemouth’s thrilling performance in the Champion Hurdle, with Final Demand and Quiryn heading the undercard on Wednesday, March 11. 

Betway ambassador Townend has four rides on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, headed by Il Etait Temps in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Townend and Willie Mullins could be set for another good day, as they also hold strong hands in the three other Grade One races on the card.

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Time for a new champion chaser?

Il Etait Temps will have to overcome his stablemate Majborough if he is to win the Champion Chase, which is no easy feat.

However, Townend believes that his mount should not be discounted and will be there to pick up the pieces if Majborough fluffs his lines.

“He’s coming off the back of a fall, which is never ideal in a race like this, but his schooling since has been brilliant and we’ve made sure that that hasn’t left a mark on him,” said Townend.

“I suppose the worry for both Majborough and Il Etait Temps is that they haven’t shown their best form at Cheltenham over fences.

“I do think that my lad is the forgotten horse and if Majborough isn’t on a going day then we’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”

Redemption day for Final Demand?

Final Demand suffered a shock loss at the Dublin Racing Festival, at Leopardstown, in February and is on the comeback trail in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

It is a very competitive field for that race but Townend is confident his charge can go well, saying: “I had a sit on him the other day at home, and he felt great, so hopefully he’s ready to leave that run well behind.

“It wouldn’t be the first time Willie has managed to get a horse to bounce back at Cheltenham after a poor run at the DRF, and his form prior to that is very good, so hopefully we can right the wrong of last year with him.”

King Rasko’s crowning moment?

Mullins fields six of the runners in the Turners Novice’s Hurdle, so Townend had a lot of thinking to do before opting for King Rasko Grey.

Townend believes his decision is justified, saying: “I thought he was the one open to the most improvement.

“His third behind Talk The Talk and Ballyfad over two miles at the Dublin Racing Festival was a big run, and there should be even more to come over this longer trip. 

“It’s such a deep race, but I just think King Rasko Grey is lightly raced with plenty of improvement in him, so hopefully I’m on the right one.”

Quiryn the finale on a bumper day

The final race on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival is the Champion Bumper, in which Townend rides Quiryn, a son of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass.

Townend believes his mount can buck the trends and is looking forward to partnering him, saying: “He showed plenty of inexperience the last day, but he was still able to win so impressively, so I think he’ll have learnt plenty from that experience.

“He’s a classy horse, which you need to be in a race like this, and he’s given me a lovely feel at home, so I’m really looking forward to riding him.”

You can read more about Paul Townend’s thoughts on his four rides at Cheltenham and his thoughts on Willie Mullins’ runners in the Bet MGM Cup Handicap Hurdle and the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase in his Betway insider blog.

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