Gordon’s Tea party

TEAHUPOO concluded some unfinished business to give Gordon Elliott back-toback wins in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.

The seven-year-old (above) didn’t get the breaks when finishing a close third to veteran stablemate Sire Du Berlais 12 months ago.

But the well-backed 5-4 favourite made no mistake this time, storming up the hill under Jack Kennedy to beat dual Stayers’ Hurdle hero Flooring Porter by three and three-quarter lengths and give Elliott his first success of the meeting.

“It’s difficult to tell myself to stay patient when you don’t have a winner,” admitted the seven-yearold’s trainer.

“It’s been a long couple of days but they’ve been running well and we’ve got one now.

“I think he’s a stronger horse this year and this was one of our biggest guns.

“He’ll stay hurdling. There are some nice races at Aintree and Punchestown for him, so we’ll look at those.”

As a new champion was crowned, the 12-year-old Paisley Park (above), who captured the three-mile prize in 2019, went into retirement after completing in 10th place.

“We have an awful lot to thank him for,” said Paisley Park’s proud trainer, Emma Lavelle, who saddled her stable star to no fewer than 11 victories, amassing win-andplace prize money of £729,426.

“It’s definitely the right thing to do. We said this season would be on a race-byrace basis but he kept running his heart out — it was just a shame he couldn’t get his head in front one last time.

“Today was the big test and he doesn’t have the same pace that he used to.”