Paisley and Benny both leave it late
A CHELTENHAM meeting rarely goes by without a local winner and there were three as the track hosted its last meeting before The Festival.
As well as Ben Pauling’s Kildisart, Paisley Park had plenty of ground to make up in the Grade Two galliardhomes. com Cleeve Hurdle, but he relished every yard of the trip and his Festival odds tumbled with every one of the 12 lengths he went clear by.
Then another late arrival on the scene, Benny’s Bridge, gave Fergal O’brien’s stable a reason to celebrate in the Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle.
Paisley Park’s owner Andrew Gemmell, who has been blind from birth, forfeited tickets for the Australian Open to head to Cheltenham.
Tewkesbury jockey Aidan Coleman said he cannot wait to return on the new 3/1 (Paddy Power) Stayers’ Hurdle favourite.
“When I picked him up I didn’t expect him to literally take off,” he said.
“The improvement he has shown this season, from a handicap Aintree to Haydock, Ascot and then here, has been exceptional.
“Hopefully he can continue. It’s nice to be associated with a horse like this. I have ridden a lot but not many similar to him.
“It’s great going to The Festival with a chance. You just look forward to it don’t you?”
Benny’s Bridge came from even further back in the final contest of the day at Prestbury Park, which seems to have habit of throwing up a Gloucestershire-trained winner.
The 8/1 shot had plenty to do at the second last hurdle and as the leaders tired, he had too many gears to comfortably assert by just under three lengths.
“I’ve got to give it to Paddy (Brennan) he told us to come here,” said winning trainer Fergal O’brien.
“He rode him with nerves of steel and thought he would be better in a true run race.
“I thought we should run in novice company at Huntingdon yesterday to be honest.
“He has been too free although he’s very quick over his hurdles.”
Brennan added about the six-year-old’s late challenge: “I have panicked enough times here and it has cost me a lot of money.
“He wanted to have a good pace to aim at.”