Newbury Friday

NEWBURY staged an excellent card on Friday and Paisley Park was the star of the show on the day. While his victory over Thistlecrack in the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle was workmanlike rather than impressive, the 8/15 favourite never looked like being beaten once Aidan Coleman asked him to take control, and he was blowing quite hard after the race, to confirm trainer Emma Lavelle’s opinion that he would need the run.