It's all down to the owner says Lavelle as Paisley Park lands Long Walk

The last two winners of the JLT Long Walk Hurdle had long since got rid of their jockeys by the time Paisley Park powered past Ascot's winning post to achieve a victory the jubilant trainer claimed was largely down to the inspiration of the even more jubilant owner.

Andrew Gemmell, a sport-obsessed former civil servant with a passion for racing, had telephoned Emma Lavelle early on Saturday morning to make sure all was well with the shining light in his racing squad.

There was no bad news to report then and only the best news to report a few hours later as Paisley Park forged clear of West Approach and Top Notch to land the Christmas marathon.

Watch Paisley Park win the Long Walk Hurdle

In doing so he gave Lavelle and Aidan Coleman the first Grade 1 victories of their careers, while the soon-to-be seven-year-old underlined how shrewd Gemmell was months ago to map out a plan in which the Long Walk, preceded by handicaps at Aintree and Haydock, was identified as the final stopping point en route to the Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdle.

Paisley Park (left): driven home by Aidan Coleman to beat West Approach (Harry Cobden)Credit: Mark Cranham

The last two winners of the Long Walk failed to do the double and they also failed to complete here, with Sam Spinner unseating Joe Colliver at the second flight and Unowhatimeanharry crashing out at the same flight one circuit later.

Bookmakers remain unconvinced Paisley Park can go on to win at Cheltenham – you can still get 16-1 about him taking championship honours – but he is a genuine contender with top-flight honours in the bag.

"I have been quietly hopeful and I did think we had a chance today," said Gemmell, an MCC member. "We have had this planned all season – Aintree, Haydock and then here. The next plan has already been made – there are 82 days to Cheltenham [Stayers' Hurdle day]!"

Gemmell will be counting down the days to the festival, as will Lavelle, who was generous in her praise of the horse, her husband Barry Fenton and her owner, who has been blind since birth and a lover of racing since the late 1960s.

"It couldn't happen to a nicer person than Andrew, who is such a massive supporter of racing," said Lavelle. "He wasn't dealt the kindest hand at the beginning but he has made the most out of his life. He was the one who wanted to go to Haydock and then here. I just did what I was told.

"Andrew doesn't normally ring me before he has a runner but he rang me at seven o'clock this morning, asking if the horse was okay. I told him he was like my husband. Barry rides this horse every day at home. He went to check on him at 11 o'clock last night as he wanted to be sure he wasn't too hot or too cold. Then he opened his window at five o'clock this morning. This horse is his absolute pride and joy."

The connections of West Approach have not had much recent joy with their animal but after a disappointing spell over fences he ran a cracker to take second.

Owner Andrew Gemmell (second left) celebrates Paisley Park's Long Walk Hurdle success with trainer Emma Lavelle, jockey Aidan Coleman and groom Laura ScrivenerCredit: Mark Cranham

"Going back over hurdles made all the difference and I'm sure we'll now look at the Cleeve before going on to the Stayers'," said Colin Tizzard, while Nicky Henderson was delighted with Top Notch but felt 7-2 favourite Call Me Lord, who finished seventh, failed to stay. Sadly, his initial prognosis for Soul Emotion, who required urgent treatment immediately after the race, was not positive.

Sam Spinner and Unowhatimeanharry came home unscathed, with the former reportedly put off by the sun.

For Paisley Park, who last year spent five weeks with vets after finishing second on his bumper debut, the sky may be the limit.

"Last season was just a case of him coming back and showing he had something," said Lavelle. "This season he has been a different animal – and I hope he will keep getting better."

Gemmell thinks he might do exactly that. Encouragingly, his predictions so far have all come true.

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