Kevin Townend

Kevin Townend

Article by Alan Trout

Kevin Townend rode over jumps for much of the 1980s and had a dozen winners. 

He started as a conditional with former NH jockey Derek Weeden, who provided him with his first ride when Katumba, having led early, finished sixth of 12 runners in the Cleethorpes Opportunity Novices’ Hurdle at Market Rasen on August 23, 1980. 

Kevin rode his first winner on Mister Lucky, trained by Mick Haynes, in the Edenbridge Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap at Lingfield Park on February 3, 1983, getting up on the line to beat Jade And Diamond by a short head.

Newmarket trainer Bill Holden supplied nine of Kevin’s winners, the most prolific being the hurdler Rocky’s Gal, winning five races with Kevin in the saddle. 

He had his final success at Kempton Park on February 28, 1987, when Very Special beat 17 others to take the FB Air Services Novices’ Hurdle by three-quarters of a length. It was his second win on the five-year-old, who was then unplaced with Kevin aboard in the Whitbread Best Scotch Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.

Kevin Townend’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Mister Lucky, Lingfield Park, February 3, 1983

2. Champers Club, Doncaster, November 30, 1983

3. Rocky’s Gal, Fakenham, March 15, 1985

4. Rocky’s Gal, Fakenham, April 8, 1985

5. Chronicle Lady, Stratford-on-Avon, September 28, 1985

6. Rocky’s Gal, Fakenham, March 31, 1986

7. Rocky’s Gal, Southwell, April 21, 1986

8. Rocky’s Gal, Southwell, November 24, 1986

9. Jaunter, Fakenham, December 19, 1986

10. Jaunter, Wetherby, January 6, 1987

11. Very Special, Folkestone, February 18, 1987

12. Very Special, Kempton Park, February 28, 1987