Tom Bellamy to deputise on Paisley Park in Long Walk with Coleman suspended

Tom Bellamy will partner Paisley Park for the first time in his bid for a third Howden Long Walk Hurdle victory on Saturday week with Aidan Coleman on the sidelines due to suspension.

Paisley Park will not sport cheekpieces in the Ascot Grade 1, with trainer Emma Lavelle feeling the nine-year-old slightly overraced when an 11-length third behind Thomas Darby in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last month.

Coleman, who has partnered Paisley Park on his last 14 starts, was hit with a seven-day suspension and £1,550 fine for overuse of the whip aboard Becher Chase winner Snow Leopardess at Aintree last Saturday.

Long Walk Hurdle entries and betting

His suspension runs from next Saturday to December 27, meaning he will also miss the ride on Epatante in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on December 26.

Bellamy will become just the fourth jockey to ride Paisley Park, who finished second in a bumper at Warwick on his debut under Daryl Jacob and was then partnered by Nick Scholfield in four starts during his novice hurdle campaign.

Lavelle said: "He's in really good form and will go for the Long Walk Hurdle. Aidan is suspended next Saturday so Tom will ride him and it’s a great opportunity for him. Aidan knows every move with him, but Tom is in with us a couple of times a week and riding Paisley every time he's in to get a feel of him.

"We'll leave the cheekpieces off him because it just made him do a little too much. He hit his flat spot at the back of the second last at Newbury, which meant he just didn't get time to get going again.

Paisley Park: beat Thyme Hill in the Long Walk Hurdle last seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We should get the ground we want and we look forward to it. It looks an incredibly good race but he owes us nothing and he's in great shape. Although he's not run the races we wanted in that he hasn't won, he has run two solid races and we'll have a good day at Ascot.

"He schooled on Thursday morning and he's flying in himself, so let's see what happens."

Paisley Park is an 8-1 chance to win the Long Walk Hurdle for a third time in four years, with the betting headed by Coral Hurdle winner Buzz at 9-4 and 5-2 shot Thyme Hill, who finished second in the race last season.

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