Paisley Park raises the roof at Kempton with Long Walk triumph

PA Sport Reporters
December 26, 2022 3:48 pm

Hugely-popular stayer finds another gear to beat Goshen and Champ.

Paisley Park raised the roof at Kempton by winning the rescheduled Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle.

Trainer Emma Lavelle had voiced concerns pre-race that staging the race at such a sharp track would not suit her stable star – and that looked sure to be proven right as the soon-to-be 11-year-old began to lose touch turning into the straight.

It was Champ, who had made all the running, who looked to hold all the aces as he was still travelling well for Jonjo O’Neill junior, while Goshen – trying three miles for the first time – had still to play his hand.

There’s plenty of life in this old boy! 💪
Paisley Park takes the Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle 🥇#ITVRacing | #ChristmasFestival | @kemptonparkrace | @AidanColeman | @ELavelleracing pic.twitter.com/Gh56S2eA7h
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 26, 2022

But as stamina possibly began to tell, Goshen had no more to give and Champ was soon sending out distress signals, too, as Aidan Coleman and his old partner began to stay on relentlessly.

On jumping the last Paisley Park (9-2) just took off in front and from there the result seemed inevitable as he powered away to win by four and a quarter lengths from Goshen to gain a fourth Grade One success.