WALK IN THE PARK FOR PAISLEY

Ben Morgan thinks the defending Stayers’ Hurdle champ is the banker of the meeting

- Ben Morgan

THURSDAY LINE-UP

1.30 Marsh Novices’ Chase
2.10 Pertemps Final Hurdle
2.50 Ryanair Chase
3.30 Stayers’ Hurdle
4.10 Stable Plate Chase
4.50 Mares Novices’ Hurdle
5.30 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase

Stayers’ Hurdle

This race sees my banker of the meeting run and I have to apologise because it’s not very imaginative.

PAISLEY PARK has beaten everything put in front of him for the past 18 months and, if anything, I think he is improving. His win in the Cleeve was vintage Paisley as he hit a flat spot before powering home up the hill. He looks as good a stayer as we have seen since the great Big Bucks and I can’t see any of the field beating him this year. He has beaten most already and the ones he hasn’t don’t look to be up to his standard.

There was talk of Benie Des Dieux lining up here but that talk seemed to quieten down after Paisley Park hosed up in the Cleeve. I hope the mare goes to the Champion Hurdle or the Mares because this looks her toughest option.

Champ is still short in the betting but I can’t see Henderson re-routing him here this late in the season. His Ballymore conqueror, City Island, is more than likely to come here, however. His chase career hasn’t scaled the heights as expected and I think connections will more than likely chance their arm here.

A few outsiders that could run into a place include Sam’s Profile, Emitom and Bright Forecast. I have backed Emitom but that was before his jumping let him down in the Relkeel. If Warren Greatrex can tidy that jumping up he would have a real chance of running into a place.

1) Paisley Park
2) Emitom
3) Sam’s Profile

Ryanair Chase