THE other elite performance on the clock came from Paisley Park in the Cleeve Hurdle, in which he forged clear late on to win by 12 lengths from West Approach.

He has now won all four of his starts this term, and this 160-timefigure effort should finally have won over those – myself included – who remained a little sceptical to this point.

A well-run extended three miles on good to soft seemed to find out Black Op (143), who went well for a long way but could manage only third, though less-testing ground could still see him a factor in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival.

Paisley Park is favourite for that race now, and rightly so, for all that conditions here may have shown him in a near-perfect light.

He had some smart rivals beaten hands down, including fourth-placed Sam Spinner, who does not seem the horse he once was.