Soccer

Popular Paisley Park to stay in training over hurdles

Paisley Park has done owner Andrew Gemmell ever so proud and will be sent hurdling again next season with Ascot and Cheltenham being targeted for the star stayer.

Emma Lavelle's popular staying hurdler Paisley Park will stay in in training next season and go for the Long Walk and Cleeve Hurdle says owner Andrew Gemmell.
There were plans to send the 10-year-old novice chasing but Gemmell notes his horse's ongoing enthusiam for the hurdling game.

A well-received winner of the Stayers' Hurdle in 2019, the Oscar gelding finished a strong third in the Long Walk at Ascot in December. He then took the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham before a fine third in the 2022 Stayers' Hurdle behind Flooring Porter.

Although never really getting into the mix when fifth to Klassical Dream in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers' Hurdle at Punchestown, Gemmell is definitely not losing faith with the talented horse who has won over £600,000 in prize money.

Gemmell himself isn't short of friends in racing with his story of being blind since birth being covered by the racing press extensively. The owner is currently recovering from having a pacemaker fitted and is looking forward to seeing Paisley Park run again after a nice rest.

"He stayed on again, but I think the ground was plenty quick enough as well.
"Given the conditions, he still ran really well.
"He still retains plenty of enthusiasm, so we will keep going. Though he is hard to place and needs soft ground, I still think races like the Long Walk and the Cleeve are there, so we will see how we go. I would love to win the Cleeve again - that would be great!
"You can't fault his run in the Stayers', either. He was only beaten two and three-quarter lengths (in third).
"He is fine and has just gone out into the field now."

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