Progressive Paisley Park set to crown fine season
The Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle is today’s feature race and Paisley Park can crown a flawless campaign by landing the spoils for trainer Emma Lavelle and jockey Aidan Coleman. With a 13th place finish in last year’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, Paisley Park wouldn’t have been on too many people’s radar for this race at the start of the season but has gone from strength to strength since making a winning reappearance in an Aintree handicap last October.
And to prove that result wasn’t a once off he produced a storming finish a month later to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in a Haydock Grade Three. The Grade One JLT Hurdle at Ascot – the Long Walk Hurdle in old money – was his next port of call and he rose to that challenge to give Lavelle and Coleman a first top-level success. That was a terrific effort but it was his victory over today’s course and distance in the Cleeve Hurdle in late January that provided conclusive proof he’s the real deal.
In a truly-run race, Paisley Park, having briefly looked in a spot of bother, powered clear to finish 12 lengths ahead of West Approach, a horse he had beaten by just two lengths at Ascot. The rapidly-progressive seven-year-old has been favourite for the Stayers’ Hurdle since and deserves that position at the head of the market. Festival favourite Faugheen will certainly have his supporters but he took a crashing fall when last sighted at Leopardstown at Christmasand there must be a fear that’s left a mark.
The stats are also against him with Crimson Embers, back in 1986, the last 11-year-old to win this race. A Faugheen victory would bring the roof down but the expectation is Paisley Park’s younger legs will see him home in front. A cracking Ryanair Chase also features a Willie Mullins-trained 11-year-old in dual Festival hero Un De Sceaux. He showed he has lost none of his enthusiasm for the game when a four-length second to Altior in the Tingle Creek on his sole run this season and looks sure to put up another bold show on ground that will really suit.
However, no 11-year-old has ever won this race and the fact Ruby Walsh has opted for stablemate Footpad in preference to Un De Sceaux has to be considered a negative. Last year’s runner-up may have to settle for a place again. Footpad was flawless over fences as a novice, his Arkle win one of five emphatic victories. However, things have run far less smoothly this season, Footpad falling at Naas on his seasonal reappearance before being picked up late on by the ageing Simply Ned at Christmas.
The fact Walsh has plumped for him is an obvious plus but he comes here with questions to answer. A case can be made for Road To Respect (fourth in the Gold Cup last year) and, to a lesser extent, the Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon but preference is for Monalee. Henry De Bromhead’s charge finished second to Penhill in the Albert Bartlett in 2017 before occupying the same position behind Presenting Percy in the RSA Chase last year and may be able to make it third time lucky this year.
A keen-going sort, the eight-year-old always seems to do too much, too early over three miles so the drop to two and a half should really suit and he can give Rachael Blackmore another Festival success. The JLT Novices’ Chase kicks off today’s action and Defi Du Seuil narrowly gets the vote to win round three of his duel with Lostintranslation. When they met in the Dipper Novices’ Chase on New Year’s Day it was Lostintranslation who prevailed but Defi Du Seuil got his revenge in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown last month.
There’s very little between them but 2017 Triumph Hurdle hero Defi Du Seuil has improved from race to race and may be able to confirm the Sandown form. In the build-up to the Festival, Nicky Henderson has seemed pretty sweet on the chances of Epatante and she gets the nod in the Grade Two Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. Away from graded action, First Assignment, twice victorious at Cheltenham earlier this season and beaten just a length and quarter by Paisley Park at Haydock in November looks a big player in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.
The Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase is predictably tough but, granted luck in running, Siruh Du Lac looks sure to put in a decent showing while, provided the bounce factor doesn’t kick in on his second run after a lengthy lay-off, Measureofmydreams should go well in the Kim Muir for the Gordon Elliott team.
