Paisley Park puts Lavelle's nerves to rest with Long Distance Hurdle victory

Emma Lavelle has never experienced a race quite like it. She has won bigger races than Newbury's Grade 2 Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle – but she has never been as nervous.

The pressure of bringing a champion back to the track after an unbeaten season is something very few trainers get comfortable with and, having seen her stable star come out on top in a thrilling duel with former Stayers' Hurdle winner Thistlecrack – to whom he had to concede 6lb – Lavelle revealed the responsibility was "nerve-racking".

"The buzz now is unbelievable, of course it is, but to train a horse like this is not only a massive privilege, it's a responsibility as well," said Lavelle. "When I said he was going to need it a little bit when he came here today, I don't want to get him beaten and I don't want to get him beaten for everybody.

"To do it the way he did, with the improvement still there, it's really exciting. It's just going to be more nail-biting until Ascot."

Paisley Park on his way to winning the Long Distance HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Despite the pressure, she is still listening to her horse. Lavelle and husband Barry Fenton, who rides Paisley Park daily, know the seven-year-old inside out and brought him to Newbury twice in the build-up to his return to knock the edge off him.

"The first day he came here he was a lunatic, I think his head was a bit fried from last year," said Lavelle. "It was a great thing for him to come to the races and get used to the experience again. When he walked in today he was so much calmer, he's back to being a professional."

He was more than professional in the race, he oozed class. Regular partner Aidan Coleman said he had never travelled as well and Colin Tizzard, who said the runner-up would return to Kempton for a fourth crack at next month's Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, described Paisley Park as "just not for beating at the moment".

Next for the winner is Ascot's Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle, a race he won last year by two lengths from Thistlecrack's half-brother West Approach.

Lavelle said: "He should strip a bit fitter. Barry rides him every day and deserves the credit, he'll keep him where he needs to be and have him right for the day – and if not I'll be very cross with my husband!"

Beer Goggles, who won this race in 2017, was pulled up quickly after the third-last and had to be put down.

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