Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle: Champ set to take on Paisley Park again in Saturday’s feature | Racing News

Champ and Paisley Park are set to resume their rivalry in Ascot’s Howden Lengthy Stroll Hurdle on Saturday, stay on Sky Sports activities Racing.

The pair have dominated the 3m 0.5f Grade One contest lately, profitable 4 of the final 5 runnings, with Paisley Park claiming his third victory within the race final 12 months when it was staged at Kempton on Boxing Day after Ascot was deserted earlier than Christmas.

The Nick Henderson-trained Champ completed third final 12 months after profitable the race in 2021 when his fellow 11-year-old Paisley Park, who additionally triumphed for Emma Lavelle in 2018 and 2020, was third.

The pair have crossed paths 5 instances in all beforehand, with the rating standing at 3-2 to Paisley Park of their head-to-head document.

Final 12 months’s runner-up Goshen can also be among the many remaining 10 entries on the five-day stage, with the ante-post betting headed by Champ, who shall be making his seasonal reappearance, forward of Crambo, who leads the youthful brigade after ending third behind Slate Lane at Haydock for Fergal O’Brien final trip.

Dan Skelton’s West Balboa, a formidable winner at Aintree on his first outing of the marketing campaign, and Jeremy Scott’s secure star Dashel Drasher, who edged out Paisley Park in Newbury’s Lengthy Distance Hurdle firstly of the month, are additionally nonetheless entered, together with Paul Nicholls’ Blueking D’Oroux, who gained the Coral Hurdle over half a mile shorter at Ascot final time.

In addition to Goshen, Gary Moore might run Botox Has, the winner of the bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby final month, whereas Pink Threat may additionally symbolize Nicholls, with Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Gowel Street the opposite attainable runner.

Watch all of the motion from the Christmas Racing Weekend at Ascot on Friday and Saturday stay on Sky Sports activities Racing, with the Lengthy Stroll Hurdle due off at 2.25pm on Saturday.