Hurdling star Paisley Park back at Wetherby as Lavelle ponders chasing option

Paisley Park is looking as good as ever according to Emma Lavelle as she prepares him for a fact-finding mission in Wetherby's bet365 Hurdle on Saturday, with the door still open to a switch to chasing later in the season.

For the past two years Lavelle has waited until the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury before unleashing her stable star, but the three-time Grade 1 winner is set for an earlier outing after he headed 12 entries on Monday for the Grade 2 over three miles.

The 2019 Stayers' Hurdle hero won his third Grade 1 in Ascot's Long Walk Hurdle last December, but could manage only third as he attempted to regain his Cheltenham crown before he was pulled up at Aintree on his final appearance of the season.

Grade 2 bet365 Hurdle entries

How the nine-year-old performs on Saturday will determine his schedule for the rest of the campaign, with Lavelle not ruling out a move to fences if things do not go to plan.

Lavelle said: "I wanted to get him started a little bit earlier this year because whatever happens will determine which direction the rest of his season goes in, whether we give him a spin over fences or he's as impressive as ever and we go the tried-and-tested route.

Paisley Park: 'There are always going to be young pretenders so let's get out there and see where we are'Credit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

"We couldn't be any happier with him in all his prep and he seems in as good a form as ever. I'd like to think we'll be following the same hurdling route, but it opens up some options depending on what happens."

She added: "We schooled him over fences at the back end of last season and he's looked great, but because he felt so well in himself we've only schooled him over hurdles since he came back."

Paisley Park's Wetherby possible rivals include another Stayers' Hurdle winner in the Rebecca Curtis-trained Lisnagar Oscar, and Master Tommytucker, who reverts to hurdling after winning a Grade 2 chase last season.

"There are always going to be young pretenders so let's get out there and see where we are," said Lavelle. "He's come back in bouncing and it's proper National Hunt racing when these old boys start to come out."

The only variable holding connections back is the weather. The ground at Wetherby was good on Monday morning with some forecasts predicting dry weather through to racing and others signalling rain towards the end of the week.

Lavelle said: "The weather gods do need to act in our favour because there will need to be some rain for us to feel confident and comfortable about running him.

"I'm not saying he needs it soft, but he needs to have it safe and natural rather than watered. On the back of a second day of racing and if the rain does come it should be fine."

Wetherby officials have watered the course over the weekend and on Monday, and clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson said another 10-12mm of irrigation may be necessary this week to ensure the ground is on the slow side of good for the two-day meeting.

In a surefire that the jumps season is beginning to kick into top gear, the West Yorkshire course will also welcome the return of another bona fide Grade 1 performer in Cyrname, who will bid for back-to-back Charlie Hall Chases.

Cyrname: will bid for back-to-back victories in the Charlie Hall ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker

The nine-year-old, the joint-third highest-rated chaser in Britain, looked imperious when winning at three miles for the first time in the bet365-backed race last year, but his season did not go to plan from that point onwards as he was pulled up on his next two starts in the King George VI Chase and the Ascot Chase.

He has seven rivals in opposition at this stage including the Tom George-trained Clondaw Castle, who was last seen finishing a distant second to Clan Des Obeaux in the Betway Bowl and is Cyrname's closest challenger on official ratings.

Last year's Kauto Star Novices' Chase winner Shan Blue steps into open company for the first time for trainer Dan Skelton. The seven-year-old is doubly engaged in Ascot's London Gold Cup Handicap Chase, as is the Nicky Henderson-trained Fusil Raffles and Scottish Grand National hero Mighty Thunder.

bet365 Hurdle

bet365: 7-4 Paisley Park, 4 Thomas Darby, 6 Master Tommytucker, Lisnagar Oscar, 7 Indefatigable, 9 Younevercall, 10 Run For Oscar, The Worlds End, 14 bar

bet365 Charlie Hall Chase

bet365: Evens Cyrname, 9-2 Clondaw Castle, 11-2 Fusil Raffles, Shan Blue, 8 Kittys Light, 10 Top Ville Ben, 12 Mighty Thunder, 16 Chilli Filli

Grade 2 bet365 Charlie Hall Chase entries

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