Paul Townend

In this week's column from Irish champion jockey Paul Townend, he looks forward to a massive weekend of sport on and off the track - and reflects on his FIFA 12 exploits in Kilkenny this week.

It’s been a quiet week racing wise. It always is in January ... the calm before the storm so to speak. The week started well in Punchestown last Saturday. I had a lovely winner in Paco Jack. He wasn’t fancied in the betting ring and went off at a generous 14/1. Philip Rothwell had him in great condition and he was a well deserving winner. There was only one other meeting this week in Thurles on Thursday. I had a couple of nice rides but unfortunately they came up short.

This weekend  I am in Naas on Saturday and Fairyhouse on Sunday. I have some very nice rides and am hoping I will have a few winners. Fingers crossed...

I have three rides in the first three races in Naas for Willie. In the first I’m up on Marasonnien and he’s a horse I really like and I give him a great chance. He was unlucky in Leopardstown over the Christmas and hope he will be able to get the weekend off to a good start tomorrow.  In the next I’m on Mikael D’Haguenet (pictured top with Paul on board). He is a triple Grade 1 winner and a Cheltenham winner.  In the third I’m aboard Allee Garde. The last race I rode him in was in Down Royal back in February and we won a nice maiden hurdle.

On Sunday I have two rides, one for Willie in the first, Lord Gale and a Seamus Fahy-trained horse called Caolaneoin in a maiden hurdle later that day. Also on Sunday you have the Normans Grove Steeplechase which should be a cracking race with Blazing Tempo, Noble Prince and Psycho all going head to head.

The season is heating up nicely and talk is already started in relation to the big meetings coming down the line. Some of the horses going over the next week or two may not go again until Cheltenham so it's an exciting time of the year for all involved.

Besides the racing, I am really looking forward to a great weekend of sport. We have the Heineken Cup games, two top of the table clashes in the English Premier League and the semi-finals of the Superbowl in the American Football. I fancy both the Manchester teams to win this weekend and if I had to have a bet on the Superbowl I’d have my money on the Tom Brady led New England Patriots.

Other news this week is I’m in discussions with two national newspapers to start writing weekly articles for them starting with the Cheltenham festival. I will have more news next week and will announce who I will be writing for here next week. No doubt the experience I’ve gained here will stand me in good stead.

Finally, for any computer game fans out there, I was crowned FIFA 2012 Champion of Paulstown, Kilkenny this week, getting the better of a less than average Jack Madden. He’s a good jockey but a hell of a bad FIFA player!

Until next week.