It’s hard not to contextualise Jody Townend within the frame of her racing family.

She is the younger sister to champion jump jockey Paul Townend, cousin of former top jockey Davy Condon and her father Tim is a successful trainer.

But Jody is first and foremost an accomplished and fearless jockey whose achievements since recovering from breaking her T12 vertebrae with a fracture on her spinal cord, has been nothing short of extraordinary.

In her comeback race at the Galway Festival Jody drove the Willie Mullins-trained mare Great White Shark across the line to win the €120,000 Connacht Hotel Handicap by a length and three-quarters and success has followed her since.

To win on a massive day like Thyestes, the crowds were unreal

Speaking about her win on Thyestes Day at Gowran Park in January, Jody says: “Winning the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Ladies’ Auction Maiden Hurdle on Glengouly was brilliant. To win on a massive day like Thyestes, the crowds were unreal, luckily Willie Mullins and the owners backed me and it was so great to get the winner on such a big day.”

Family competition

Previous wins for Jody have included the 5 Lamps Maiden Hurdle on Port Rashid, owned and trained by her father Tim. Winning was one thing and – although she doesn’t admit it – I’m sure beating your big brother to the line no doubt put a cherry on top.

I’ve won a few races on him now. He gave me my first winner over hurdles as well

“That was a great day. Port Rashid is a great horse for us. I’ve won a few races on him now. He gave me my first winner over hurdles as well, it makes it a little bit more special I suppose, getting a winner for Dad.”

Racing memories

Jody’s famous victory in the Grade 2 bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival last year on 18-1 shot Grangee, a mare bought for only €25,000 was one of those never-forget racing moments.

“Winning the bumper was unreal, to ride any winner in Leopardstown I suppose is a good day, but to ride a Graded winner there was even better. Once she started passing horses it was a great feeling to get to the line in front.

“And she’s gone on to win a few big races since, hopefully she puts on a big show in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle in Cheltenham. It was a massive feeling to ride a winner at Dublin Racing Festival and definitely something ticked off the bucket list.”

I got my jockey license when I was 17 and my first ride in a point-to-point was a winner for Dad

Growing up around horses, Jody and Paul spent a few long evenings out with the ponies.

“He did a lot of pony racing and I actually didn’t do so much pony racing, I was more into show jumping and eventing growing up,” she explains. “I got my jockey license when I was 17 and my first ride in a point-to-point was a winner for Dad. So I suppose I got the bug then, the hunger started to grow for it, there’s no feeling like crossing the line in front.”

Injury

Jody broke her back whilst schooling at Willie Mullins’s yard where she works, and it put her on the sidelines for the best part of nine months.

“There were definitely a few long nights where I thought was I ever going to get back, but I suppose it taught me patience; giving it a chance I reap the rewards now as I never get any pain from it.

“It’s all behind me, it’s not something I think about too often but it definitely taught me a lot. I appreciate the good days a lot more now and hopefully there’s a lot more to come and not too many more injuries like that.”

Jody’s advice for up and coming jockeys is to enjoy those good days. “With horses there’ll probably be more bad days than good days, patience is the thing. [There is] no point rushing a horse.

“I suppose like it is in life, just as much as it is being a jockey.”

I always see the smile on Paul’s face when he’s had a good day

And as her career goes from strength to strength, is there a horse she’d kill for a spin of?

“When he’s on his A-game Chacun Pour Soi, looks deadly! A two-mile chaser, he doesn’t seem to miss a beat, I always see the smile on Paul’s face when he’s had a good day. I’d say the buzz he gets off him is unreal!”

Looking ahead

Going forward in the evenings when Jody gets time to clear the head walking her dog, she is philosophical and admits to not setting herself too many goals.

“I want to ride more winners and I’d love to get a ride at Cheltenham, it’d be great to be walking out of the chute with all the crowds roaring someday.”

Someday soon we say.