Emma Lavelle: Aintree next for Paisley Park, with change of tactics on agenda

Emma Lavelle has confirmed Paisley Park’s next target is the Ryanair Stayers’ Hurdle at the Randox Grand National Festival, but admits she expects her stable star to be ridden more prominently if he lines up at Aintree.

The nine-year-old is on course to take in the Grade One contest - registered as the Liverpool Hurdle – next month after finishing third in his bid to re-claim his Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle crown at The Festival™ supporting WellChild on Thursday.

Having watched Paisley Park fail to make up the necessary ground required at Cheltenham after being anchored close to the back of the field for much of the race, Lavelle is now keen to see her triple Grade One scorer race much closer to the pace at Aintree.

The trainer, who also expects owner Andrew Gemmell to be there on the day if COVID-19 restrictions have been eased, added: “Paisley Park seems bright in himself though we will see what he looks like at the end of the week.

“The plan at this stage is to head to Aintree. Thyme Hill will be back there and I’m sure it will be a good race, while Andrew will also be able to be there.

“It will be interesting to see how he gets on back at Aintree as he has not got the Cheltenham hill. He won as a young horse around there over two and a half miles and it will be interesting to see how he goes.

“He will definitely have to be ridden a bit more prominently early on so if he hits that flat spot he is not too far back and doesn’t have lots of ground to make up.

“I think it was a magnificent performance when you look at it as he was on the back foot from the word go and he ran a stormer in the circumstances.”

Although proud of Paisley Park’s effort in defeat, Lavelle believes the result may have been different had she decided on an alternative preparation.

She said: “If I had my time again I think on the back of missing the Cleeve, which was abandoned, I would probably give him a run, even if it was only over two and a half miles just to give him that sharpness because we had a lot of ground to make up.

“Fair play to the horse that he was only beaten five lengths in the end. I just think he lacked that bit of sharpness. The winner (Flooring Porter) did win well.

“Paisley ran a great race but I think these races are all about margins and in this instance he probably just lacked that bit of sharpness he needed. Hopefully Cheltenham hasn’t taken too much out of him and he will go to Aintree that bit sharper.”