RACING:TIMMY MURPHY will replace the injured Andrew Lynch on Sizing Europe at Punchestown next week. Lynch took a heavy fall from Fearless Falcon in the Weatherbys Ireland GSB Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Tuesday.
The jockey had been enjoying his best season to date, riding two winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including Sizing Europe in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Murphy has ridden Sizing Europe to victory before, in the Greatwood Hurdle of 2007, and was back among the big winners in the Bet365 Gold Cup last weekend with Poker De Sivola.
“Unfortunately the results of Andrew’s X-rays this morning have confirmed that he’s broken his left wrist and fractured his right humerus,” trainer Henry de Bromhead told his website yesterday.
“This means he won’t be able to ride Sizing Europe at Punchestown next week. It’s a great shame for Andrew as he knows the horse inside out and he’s got on so well with him so far this term.
“We spoke with Alan and Ann Potts (owners) on Wednesday morning about who will replace Andrew and I’m happy to say that Timmy Murphy will take the ride. We’ve also asked Timmy to deputise on the majority of our runners next week and hopefully he’ll be free to do so.”
Meanwhile, Paul Townend made the perfect return to the saddle with an armchair ride on Rattan for Willie Mullins in the Western People Maiden Hurdle at Ballinrobe last night.
Champion-elect over jumps here for the first time, Townend had been out since fracturing his collarbone at Navan on March 26th but still started the night with a four-winner lead over Davy Russell.
Sent off at 8 to 15, the ex-Henry Cecil-trained Rattan took command on the entrance to the home straight and pinged the last to score hard-held from Glenstar.
Mullins’ travelling head lad Gary Davis said: “Rattan is enjoying his racing and will be kept going through the summer. He seemed to bounce off the ground.”
Townend completed a double on Killultagh Queen in the Roundfort Stores Beginners Chase. Killultagh Queen had no difficulty seeing off her rivals, scoring an easy nine lengths.
Townend moved five winners clear (78-73) of Russell, who was successful on Face Facts in the handicap hurdle, in the jump jockeys’ title race, which finishes at Punchestown on Saturday week.
Winning trainer Mullins was himself completing a double but was not present.
Ruby Walsh was on the mark in the Treacy’s Pharmacy Hurdle, producing the Michael Hourigan-trained False Economy with his trademark good timing to win.
False Economy was produced to lead before the final flight to eventually score a two lengths win over Final Victory.
Afterwards Hourigan said: “False Economy is a nice horse and hops off the summer ground. He may go to Killarney on the Sunday for a the good handicap hurdle. Hopefully he’ll be good enough for a Galway Hurdle some day.”
Casamento has been confirmed a definite runner in Saturday’s Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
A statement posted on the Godolphin website said the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained colt will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, with rising star Mickael Barzalona aboard Saeed bin Suroor’s Saamidd.
