Emma Lavelle
Emma Lavelle

Paisley Park aimed at Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham


Emma Lavelle believes Paisley Park has all the right attributes to develop into contender for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old put in a career best display last Saturday when finding only the unbeaten Mr Whipped too strong in a Grade Two contest at Warwick.

She said: "Paisley Park is a lovely horse. He was just probably slightly too green. They went quick down the back and he has never jumped that fast before in his life. He galloped his little heart out down the home straight. 

"I would love to get another win into him and I would not have an issue with just running him in a novice hurdle with a penalty.

"I'd like to get a run into him on slightly better ground as we have not had the chance yet and I don't think he is an out-and-out soft ground horse.

"If I said what would be the ideal race to run him in, it would be the Albert Bartlett. He has got the pace and the stamina for that."

A step up in both class and trip could be on the cards for Flemcara after he completed a hat-trick of wins in handicap company at Chepstow earlier this month. 

Lavelle added: "He travelled so well through his race at Chepstow. Once he gets in front he doesn't do more than he has to. He wants bottomless ground and that is key to him.

"He has come out of that as fresh as paint. The plan is to go to Haydock with him and he will be entered in the Pertemps qualifier and the Grade Two novice there (Prestige)."

The Ogbourne Maizey handler is also considering stepping Enniscoffey Oscar back up to Grade Two level for the River Don Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster later this month.

She said: "Enniscoffey Oscar will probably go for the River Don. He has been absolutely bouncing since his last run.

"He has taken a little bit of time to find his feet, but he is a smart horse. He wants decent ground and that has been the main issue why he has not been out recently. 

"If he runs well at Doncaster he probably deserves a crack at one of the novice races at Cheltenham ,but I thought he would be an ideal horse for the Coral Cup. They will go so fast in that you really will need to see it out."

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