There will be fewer sweeter winners for Emma Lavelle than Paisley Park's third Cleeve Hurdle victory at Cheltenham on Saturday, the conclusion of a terrific January which has seen 7 winners. But for odds-in-running punters, you would have written the former Stayers Hurdle winner off 6 minutes earlier.
The naysayers have been sounding the retirement bell for Paisley Park since his run at Wetherby in October, when he was a well-beaten 5 1/4l third behind Indefatigable. At Ascot in December, it looked like the mantle of best British Stayers Hurdle hope would be passing to Champ, with Lavelle's charge 5 1/4l back in third.
But it seems Cheltenham brings out the best in Paisley Park. Horses have memories like everyone else. Judged on the way he picked up the bit and ran up the hill, he remembered the other 3 occasions he's won at Cheltenham, and to see his ears moving backwards and forwards from the last hurdle, you might argue he had a bit in hand.
Relatively few horses win hearts and minds at Cheltenham, but the team behind Paisley Park is both well respected and held in some affection for sheer entertainment value. Ownewr Andrew Gemmell is a master of the imagination, having been blind since birth, in translating the words of the commentator and the excitement of the crowd into a race within his mind. For Emma Lavelle, the acquisition of Paisly Park couldn't have come at a better time, after she and partner Barry took the plunge to buy Bonita Stables. Whilst hindsight would tell you property investment is a sure thing, when you are funding monthly mortgage payments from the sweat of your brow, risk is all to present.
To think that Paisley Park had previously been a 33/1 chance for the Stayers, it appears he was out to prove his doubters wrong. 8/1 is a common price after the weekend, although predictably, the Irish also have a strong hand in the Grade I showpiece in March.
The Gemmell colours were carried to another weekend triumph at Fontwell yesterday when Flying Nun won the 2m5f handicap hurdle, nudging out Cafe Pushkin by a short head on the line.
Meantime, Alan King plucked another graded winner in North Lodge, who scored a somewhat novicey win in the Ballymore Novices (Grade II). Two from two promises plenty from this son of Presenting, but I'd be surprised if the principal contenders for the Ballymore in March are quaking in their boots.
From the south of the county, Silver Shade's Triumph Hurdle credentials took a bit of a knock in his 16l fifth to Irish raider Pied Piper in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial. Nevertheless, Milton Bradley didn't leave Cheltenham empty-handed after Mullenbeg ran out a clear-cut winner of the concluding Bumper
There will be fewer sweeter winners for Emma Lavelle than Paisley Park's third Cleeve Hurdle victory at Cheltenham on Saturday, the conclusion of a terrific January which has seen 7 winners. But for odds-in-running punters, you would have written the former Stayers Hurdle winner off 6 minutes earlier.
The naysayers have been sounding the retirement bell for Paisley Park since his run at Wetherby in October, when he was a well-beaten 5 1/4l third behind Indefatigable. At Ascot in December, it looked like the mantle of best British Stayers Hurdle hope would be passing to Champ, with Lavelle's charge 5 1/4l back in third.
But it seems Cheltenham brings out the best in Paisley Park. Horses have memories like everyone else. Judged on the way he picked up the bit and ran up the hill, he remembered the other 3 occasions he's won at Cheltenham, and to see his ears moving backwards and forwards from the last hurdle, you might argue he had a bit in hand.
Relatively few horses win hearts and minds at Cheltenham, but the team behind Paisley Park is both well respected and held in some affection for sheer entertainment value. Ownewr Andrew Gemmell is a master of the imagination, having been blind since birth, in translating the words of the commentator and the excitement of the crowd into a race within his mind. For Emma Lavelle, the acquisition of Paisly Park couldn't have come at a better time, after she and partner Barry took the plunge to buy Bonita Stables. Whilst hindsight would tell you property investment is a sure thing, when you are funding monthly mortgage payments from the sweat of your brow, risk is all to present.
To think that Paisley Park had previously been a 33/1 chance for the Stayers, it appears he was out to prove his doubters wrong. 8/1 is a common price after the weekend, although predictably, the Irish also have a strong hand in the Grade I showpiece in March.
The Gemmell colours were carried to another weekend triumph at Fontwell yesterday when Flying Nun won the 2m5f handicap hurdle, nudging out Cafe Pushkin by a short head on the line.
Meantime, Alan King plucked another graded winner in North Lodge, who scored a somewhat novicey win in the Ballymore Novices (Grade II). Two from two promises plenty from this son of Presenting, but I'd be surprised if the principal contenders for the Ballymore in March are quaking in their boots.
From the south of the county, Silver Shade's Triumph Hurdle credentials took a bit of a knock in his 16l fifth to Irish raider Pied Piper in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial. Nevertheless, Milton Bradley didn't leave Cheltenham empty-handed after Mullenbeg ran out a clear-cut winner of the concluding Bumper
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