Lavelle seeks revival at Paisley Park to rejuvenate career
Emma Lavelle: Paisley Park’s Shot at Glory in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle
In a surprising turn of events, Emma Lavelle expressed her excitement over Paisley Park’s chances in next month’s prestigious Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle. Despite doubts surrounding his career last year, Paisley Park has displayed tremendous resilience this season, narrowly missing out on victory in three thrilling finishes.
Lavelle shared her optimism about Paisley Park’s current form and training routine: “Touch wood he’s in great form, he had an easy week after the Cleeve and he’s back cantering away now. He’s had a little stride along the last couple of days and he thinks he’s King Kong, which I suppose is a good thing!” she exclaimed.
Paisley Park has consistently shown his mettle against tough opponents such as Crambo and Noble Yeats. The fact that these horses are currently favored by bookmakers despite their neck-to-neck encounters with Paisley adds to the intrigue surrounding his potential triumph.
The upcoming race will bring together numerous familiar contenders alongside some promising newcomers. However, if Paisley delivers his best performance, there is every reason to believe that he will be among the top competitors vying for victory.
Despite their unwavering support for him, it isn’t always smooth sailing with Paisley Park. Lavelle amusingly shared, “We love him to bits, but he doesn’t half put you through the ringer! He builds you up then sometimes he thinks ‘OK’, then sometimes he just thinks ‘nah, it’s not working for me today’. He’s extraordinary.”
Addressing speculation on whether this will be Paisley Park’s final appearance at Cheltenham, Lavelle emphasized that ultimately it is his decision. Reflecting on their journey since the Stayers’ Hurdle last year, she marveled at Paisley’s consistent performance despite being beaten by a combined distance of less than a neck in three prominent races.
Lavelle couldn’t help sharing her disbelief about some of the younger competitors they face: “Some of the horses he’s running against weren’t even born when he won his first Long Walk…it’s ridiculous.” The fact that these younger rivals are already making strides in their careers only adds more intrigue to Paisley Park’s remarkable story.
If Paisley were to emerge victorious in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle, it would undoubtedly be an incredible achievement. However, Lavelle humorously added that one challenge lies ahead – reminding Paisley that finishing second does not equate to victory when racegoers shower him with adoration and support!