Why Long Walk is a far more complex puzzle than Newbury clash would make it seem

2.25 Ascot
Porsche Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1) | 3m½f | 4yo+ | ITV4/Sky

The storytellers have it easy with the Porsche Long Walk Hurdle. Here is a classic old champion versus an up-and-comer, Paisley Park against Thyme Hill. Punters should not be drawn in by the simplicity, as we have far more threads to unpick even just where those two are concerned.

Paisley Park, less than a fortnight from turning nine, needs to show he is as good as he was. The staying hurdle division rarely has more than one horse capable of running into the 170s on Racing Post Ratings. In 2018-19 that was him. Since winning the 2019 Stayers' Hurdle he has never run better than when finishing second to Thyme Hill at Newbury three weeks ago.