'Properly mature' Paisley Park bouncing before bid for third Cleeve Hurdle

Paisley Park is on course to run in the Cleeve Hurdle, his regular dress rehearsal for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, at Cheltenham later this month with trainer Emma Lavelle delighted by the nine-year-old's recovery following a titanic struggle with Thyme Hill in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot three weeks ago.

Already a dual winner of the galliardhomes-backed Cleeve Hurdle on Festival Trials day, Paisley Park will head back to Cheltenham on January 30 for what Lavelle considers the "perfect" prep before attempting to regain the stayers' crown he lost last March.

Paisley Park suffered his first defeat in two years when seventh behind Lisnagar Oscar ten months ago, although his below-par effort was a precursor to being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.

After more than eight months off the track, Paisley Park returned to finish a close second behind Thyme Hill in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November, a result which looked set to be repeated in the Long Walk at Ascot until Paisley Park hauled himself from an almost impossible position to run down his rival.

Paisley Park (spotted cap, right) begins to reel in Thyme Hill (left) and Roksana at AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

After the heart issues such an effort might give cause for concern, but Lavelle believes her stable star has the constitution to back up that performance.

Lavelle said: "He's in great order. He came out of his win at Ascot really well and we've been really happy with him with the view very much that he'll be heading to the Cleeve.

Relive Paisley Park's Ascot win

"It's a nice break between the Long Walk and Trials day and then a similar gap from there to the festival. The shortest gap is between the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and the Long Walk, and you do need everything to go right.

"This is just a lovely build up – it's perfect. He's getting to that point of being properly mature, and we're really happy with where he is."

While Paisley Park has been able to call on huge reserves of stamina on most surfaces over the last two and a half seasons, Ascot provided a first test on going described officially as heavy.

Paisley Park bounds clear of his rivals on the way to a first success in the Cleeve Hurdle in 2019Credit: Edward Whitaker

Yet Lavelle was neither surprised that he was able to adapt, nor concerned that it may have taken an extra toll as she builds Paisley Park up for the Cleeve.

"Even though it's never officially been described as heavy before, I think he has shown he handles soft ground and he's shown he handles good ground," said Lavelle.

"There are very few horses where you are not watching the weather thinking, 'Please let it rain or please don't let it rain'. It's very nice going into races with a horse like him where you just don’t have that concern. Either way, just let it be on!"

The memory of his lifeless effort behind Lisnagar Oscar at last season's festival will never entirely be banished, but market-leading odds of 100-30 about Paisley Park recapturing his crown show just how much he has bounced back from that disappointment.

Aidan Coleman congratulates Adam Wedge after Lisnagar Oscar deposed Paisley Park in the 2020 Stayers' HurdleCredit: Dan Mullan (Getty Images)

"I suppose having had that scare with him at the festival last year and what a gutter that was, you always have that thought at the back of your mind where you hope it never happens again," said Lavelle. "But he has been so good this season and touch wood everything has gone smoothly and hopefully still will."

Since the Stayers' Hurdle became a regular fixture at the festival in 1972, only Crimson Embers (1986) and Inglis Drever (2007, 2008) have regained the three-mile championship crown.

Read more:

'He's the ultimate stayer' – turbo kicks in as Paisley Park snatches Long Walk

'He's much more up for it' – Emma Lavelle confident Paisley Park can bounce back

Paisley Park given all clear to resume work after heart irregularity

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