Paisley spark
STARTS WITH OUR TIP-TOP RACING SERVICE GRAND PLAN FOR VALTOR HUGE JOY FOR OWNER
ANDREW GEMMELL might be blind but he is clearly aware he owns a smart horse in Paisley Park.
The six-year-old was an impressive winner of yesterday’s JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
Now unbeaten in three races this season, he booked his ticket for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March after demolishing his rivals.
Admittedly, his task was made easier after the departure of Unowhatimeanharry at the fourth last and Call Me Lord, the favourite, failing to stay the three-mile trip.
“I was quite hopeful today,” said Gemmell, who has been blind since birth. “It’s unbelievable.
“When I came back from the Melbourne Cup in November, I said to trainer Emma Lavelle that we should run him at Haydock, where he won, and come here to Ascot.
“Now we’re going for the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 82 days time and I’m counting.”
Gemmell is an inspiration as his lack of sight has not prevented him following his passion throughout the world or riding horses. Tony Hunt, who has known Gemmell for 15 years, said: “I’ve been to Australia, Dubai and all over the place with Andrew.
“During a race, I don’t tell him how his horse is going as he gets over excited. I let him know from the commentary.”
Gemmell’s passion for racing began while at school.
“I managed to convince my parents to spend the summer holidays in Yorkshire, so that they could take me to the races,” he explained.
“I loved it. To be that close to the horses that you could hear their hooves thundering down the straight was incredible. It was sheer enjoyment.”
After owning racehorses in syndicates for 20 years, Gemmell became an owner in his own right 10 years ago.
“Andrew said to me, I want you to go and buy me a nice horse,” said Lavelle.
“We didn’t spend all the money he said we could and there was a tinge of disappointment when I told him. He said he was surprised I had not spent more.” ON THE MARK: Paisley Park races to victory NICKY HENDERSON nominated Valtor as a contender for the Grand National after the gelding’s victory at Ascot yesterday.
The nine-year-old did not carry the usual stable confidence – sent off at 33-1 – but the manner of his victory in the Garrard Silver Cup under James Bowen was impressive.
“He surprised us a bit,” said Henderson (below), who is still seeking his first National winner. “But he’s just a nice old professional type of horse.
“When you’ve been jumping at
Auteuil as long as he has, for him to come and jump English fences like he has today, that is the rarity of it.
“He was just perfect all the time. The National is the plan because that is what he was bought for but we’ve shown our hand. We were on a learning curve today but he’s won a very valuable prize, which is great.”
Isaac Souede and Simon Munir, the owners of Valtor, had earlier enjoyed success when Kildisart chinned Activial in the Sebastian’s Action Trust Graduation Chase.
Ben Pauling, the winning trainer, said: “We were too far down the course to see if he had won. He got in front, got headed again, then battled back.
“Daryl Jacob just felt he idled in front but he got the job done. He jumped well but there is definitely improvement in the jumping, especially when he got in short. “We will probably aim quite high because he will have a stonking penalty. “We will have a chat with racing manager Anthony Bromley and maybe something like the Scilly Isles Novice Chase is possibly the next target.”
Harry Fry admitted surprise after Hell’s Kitchen got his act together in the My Pension Expert Chase when partnered by Barry Geraghty.
“He is very much an enigma,” said Fry. “I just said to owner JP McManus he either wins or is nowhere.”