Paisley Park bids for fourth Grade One at Aintree

PA Sport Reporters
April 8, 2021 10:57 am

Lavelle star one of 15 on target for Ryanair Stayers Hurdle.

Paisley Park heads a field of 15 for the Ryanair Stayers Hurdle at Aintree.

Emma Lavelle’s nine-year-old bids for a fourth Grade One triumph on Saturday, having won the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2019 and Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle in 2018 and 2020.

He arrives at Liverpool after finishing third to Flooring Porter this time in last month’s Stayers’ at Cheltenham.

His rivals include the Philip Hobbs-trained Thyme Hill, who was just beaten by Paisley Park in the Long Walk but then missed the Cheltenham Festival.

Others in the mix include 2020 Stayers’ Hurdle winner Lisnagar Oscar and If The Cap Fits and Roksana – first and second in the last running of this race in 2019 – and Nicky Henderson’s pair of Call Mr Lord and On The Blind Side.

Henderson’s exciting young star Shishkin will face just four rivals in the Doom Bar Maghull Novices’ Chase.

The seven-year-old has won all his four starts over fences so far, culminating in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.

Taking him on are Elvis Mail, Funambule Sivola, Gumball and Longhouse Sale.

The third Grade One contest on the Grand National card is the Betway Mersey Novices’ Hurdle.

Thirteen horses were initially declared on Thursday morning – but Ballybeg, trained by Kerry Lee, is a subsequent non-runner.

Of the dozen left, Henry de Bromhead’s Ballyadam bids to go one better after finishing second in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The other contender from across the Irish Sea is Ronan McNally’s Dreal Deal, who goes for a seventh consecutive win, over hurdles and on the Flat. He has not run since January and missed Cheltenham because the stable was under a cloud.

Dan Skelton’s My Drogo has looked good in winning all his three starts over hurdles – while Adrimel, Lucky One and Minella Drama are among others to consider.