'Special moment' for Jeremy Scott as Dashel Drasher holds off Paisley Park in epic finish to Long Distance Hurdle

A freezing Newbury was warmed by an enthralling Long Distance Hurdle that was won by Dashel Drasher, who fended off popular old stager Paisley Park in an epic battle.

Trained by Jeremy Scott, Dashel Drasher also possesses a fan club and had not won for more than a year, but he put that right in gritty and determined fashion under Rex Dingle.

He had a head to spare from Paisley Park, who lost little in defeat and received a round of applause on his return to the parade ring.

Now ten, Dashel Drasher has helped put Scott's Somerset stable in the spotlight in recent years and he ran a blinder when second at 40-1 in the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Scott said: "It's a very special moment for us. We were beginning to wonder if he had the same sparkle as he'd been beaten so many times, albeit narrowly, last season.

"To come here and battle that out with dear old Paisley Park, who is a brilliant horse, was fitting. Whichever horse had won, it would have been a great story.

"He's still full of beans at home, but had to do it on the racecourse."

Dashel Drasher produces a mighty effort to land the Newbury Grade 2Credit: Mark Cranham

Ascot's Howden Long Walk Hurdle just before Christmas could be next for Dashel Drasher, who has now won 12 of his 29 starts and more than £400,000 in prize-money.

"He's entered at Ascot, but I'd love to run him over fences again at some point," the trainer added. "Whichever way we go, I'm sure he'd run his heart out, but the Long Walk would be the one at the moment.

"If you keep getting beaten, it's bloody hard to pick yourself up and do it again, so to come here and do that today is brilliant."

Dashel Drasher returned as a 2-1 chance, while Paisley Park was 4-1 and Flight Deck third at 20-1.

Marie's Rock, the 6-5 favourite, kept on to finish fourth, but plenty of post-race reaction was understandably focused on Paisley Park, who won the Stayers' Hurdle in 2019.

He has been a regular in the Long Distance Hurdle, which was sponsored by Coral and, having won it in 2019, has now been placed in the race for the last four years.

"I think if I shout louder I might have a chance of getting him across that line, but I gave it some today," his trainer Emma Lavelle said.

"He's run an amazing race, and the key thing today was if he still had the fire in his belly and I think categorically you can say he has. He jumped and travelled and we had a penalty and hadn't had a prep race.

"He's been beaten a head so it was a fantastic effort and we're immensely proud, while I'm eternally grateful to my husband [Barry Fenton] for riding him every day and he has done a fantastic job getting the horse to where he is today.

"I'm so proud, but also frustrated, although I'm delighted for everyone connected with Dashel Drasher."

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