Next stop Newbury and cheekpieces for Paisley Park

Long Distance Hurdle will help decide whether to stay over smaller obstacles or go chasing.

A decision on whether Paisley Park could pursue a career over fences will be delayed until after he is fitted with cheekpieces in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury later this month.

A novice chasing campaign was mooted for the 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle hero earlier in the year, but connections elected to stick to the smaller obstacles for his return to action at Wetherby’s Charlie Hall meeting.

Paisley Park was under pressure a long way from home, but stuck on to pick up minor honours in third, leaving Lavelle keen to have another crack at a race her stable star won two years ago.

“He’s come out of the weekend really well. He’s just back cantering and doing everything as you’d expect,” said the trainer.

“He’s probably tightened up a bit for it, which is always a good thing.

“We’re going to put some cheekpieces on him, just to try to make it a bit easier for himself – he makes it tiring to watch!

“Physically he’s come out it really well, so we’ll see if the cheekpieces help at Newbury and we can make a decision on where we go after that.”

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