Jody Townend

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Jody Townend (born 27 December 1997) [1] [2] is an Irish jockey who competes as an amateur in National Hunt racing and flat racing.

Contents

Background

Townend comes from a racing background. She is the daughter of point-to-point trainer Tim Townend, youngest sister of jockey Paul Townend and cousin of former jockey Davy Condon. She grew up in Lisgoold in County Cork and started riding at a young age, and took part in show jumping and eventing. [2] [3] In November 2015, she had her first ride in a point-to-point race and won on King Willie, trained by her father. [4] After leaving school, she joined her brother at the yard of trainer Willie Mullins, having already worked there in the summer holidays. [3]

Racing career

Townend rode her first winner under rules on 16 April 2018 on Port Rashid, owned and trained by her father, in a maiden hurdle race at Tramore. Three months later she had her first ride for Mullins, winning a bumper (National Hunt flat race) for female jockeys on Supreme Trix at Roscommon. [2] She rode four winners that summer, but in October fractured a vertebra in a fall while schooling a horse and underwent surgery. Her recovery was delayed by a serious infection at the site of the surgery and she did not return to racing until July 2019. [4] On her fourth ride back after injury, she won the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap on Great White Shark for Mullins at the Galway Festival. [5]

On 18 July 2020, Townend rode the future Group 1 winner Princess Zoe to win the Kildare Village Ladies Derby Handicap at the Curragh. [6] She achieved her first graded race victory when Grangee, trained by Mullins, won the Grade 2 Mares' Bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival in February 2021. [7] At the end of the 2020/21 season she was crowned Champion Lady Amateur Rider, a title she would retain for the following three seasons. [2] Having won three graded bumpers, Townend won her first graded race over obstacles when Captain Cody landed the Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle for Mullins at Fairyhouse in March 2024. [8] A month later Redemption Day provided her with her first Grade 1 success when he won the Champion Bumper at Punchestown. [9]

Townend secured her first win at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2025 when Bambino Fever won the Champion Bumper to give Mullins his fourteenth win in the race. She said: "I'm beyond cloud nine. I can't believe it and it'll take a long time to sink in.... I've grown up watching Paul ride winners round here and I'm really happy." [10]

Cheltenham Festival winner

Other major wins

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References

  1. ↑ "Limerick Tuesday". The Irish Field. 30 December 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Jody Townend". Horse Racing Ireland. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Jody Townend becomes the first jockey to win the Echo Women in Sport award". The Echo. 19 June 2024.
  4. 1 2 "The Daragh Ó Conchúir Interview: Family affair the Townends at Mullins Central". Irish Examiner. 21 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "Great White Shark hunts down Galway glory". RTÉ. 29 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "Kildare Village Ladies Derby Handicap result". Racing Post. 18 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "Bargain buy Grangee puts valuable sales purchases in the shade". Racing Post. 7 February 2025.
  8. ↑ "Jody Townend takes charge with Captain Cody". Racing TV. 31 March 2024.
  9. ↑ "Jody Townend stars as Redemption Day gives Mullins his 34th top-level victory this season". Racing Post. 1 May 2024.
  10. ↑ "'It'll take a long time to sink in' - Jody Townend celebrates first festival winner onboard Bambino Fever in the Champion Bumper". Racing Post. 12 March 2025.
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