PAISLEY STILL SO SMART
CHELTENHAM Festival’s renowned roar arrived more than a month early when Paisley Park was given three cheers after making it a third victory in the Cleeve Hurdle at the Cotswold course.
“There’s nothing like having a winner at any
Cheltenham meeting,” said winning trainer Emma Lavelle. “Coming here today with all these fans, it felt like the Festival with the noise and the cheers.
“It means so much that people have taken to him.we’re so lucky to have him. He gives so much.
“I was responding to the crowd and said thank you very much. Their support means so much. If ever a horse needs willing up the hill it’s him – brilliant.”
Victory was very much a welcome tonic for owner Andrew Gemmell, currently recovering in hospital after having a new heart valve fitted.
But success looked unlikely for Paisley
Park after he whipped around at the start, throwing away many lengths to his rivals.
This appeared to gift the contest to Champ, sent off 8-15, but his legs buckled on the run to the line and he had to settle for second, with Lisnagar Oscar third.
“He came here in great order, but I was worried about the ground and Andrew not being here today was just a sadness really,” added Lavelle. “He will be very chirpy in his hospital bed.
“It’s all systems go now for the Festival.”
Paisley Park is now 7-1 from 20-1 with Paddy Power to add to his 2019 victory in the
Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival.
Nicky Henderson, responsible for Champ, was left scratching his head.
It would not be the biggest surprise to see Champ revert back to fences and run in the Gold Cup, now the target for the Henderson-trained Chantry House, winner of the Cotswold Chase.
The gelding failed to impress when giving his owner JP Mcmanus a 4,000th winner.
The 20-times champion jump jockey Sir A P Mccoy, who was the retained jockey of J P Mcmanus from 2004 up until his retirement in 2015, said: “I’d say he’s been counting down to this for a while!
“He’s passionate about it and first and foremost he just loves it and he loves his horses.”