'He's been delivering since he was 18' - Ruby Walsh lauds Paul Townend as he equals Pat Taaffe's Gold Cup record

Ruby Walsh was full of praise for Paul Townend after the jockey joined Pat Taaffe in the record books with a fourth win in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Townend replaced Walsh as stable jockey to Willie Mullins when he retired in 2019 and now has four Gold Cups – two on Al Boum Photo and two with Galopin Des Champs – taking him level with the legendary rider Taaffe, who won three on Arkle from 1964-1966 and again with Fort Leney in 1968.

Walsh said: "He's now put himself in the history books, he's level with Pat Taaffe, he's riding at the top of his game and he's delivering on the biggest stage constantly.

"He's been delivering since he was 18. He always delivers, he's so solid and so level, and he hasn't changed one bit since he was 15."

Walsh highlighted that the biggest danger to Galopin Des Champs was the loose horse – that was how the Cheltenham Festival's most successful jockey evaluated the two-time Gold Cup winner's dominance over his equine rivals.

Tony McCoy was equally effusive. "He has no weakness, he'd have galloped on into Cheltenham town if they'd let him," said the 20-time champion jockey.

Analysing the winning ride from the ITV truck, Walsh said: "The big incident was Fastorslow unseating, he just nods and JJ Slevin's bodyweight was forward and he comes over the horse's shoulder and can't stay on.

"Then at the fourth-last was the first time there was any sort of an incident for Paul Townend. He jumped it and went to keep in the horse inside him, but has a look and realises he's loose, and so he pulls back.

"After three out he tucks inside Fastorslow. But once he comes in, Fastorslow comes in with him and Paul Townend has to go back and wait – and then he makes a decision. He goes on his outside to the second-last and then he laid it all out going to the last. He flies it for him and then he dug in all the way home."

McCoy was keen to hail Willie Mullins as well, praising the festival's winningmost trainer for his bold campaigning of Galopin Des Champs.

He added: "He's gone to Punchestown, Leopardstown a couple of times, we've seen him here and we'll probably see him again at Punchestown. If there's one thing Willie Mullins is not, it's shy of running them."

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