Andrew Gemmell is pleased with the recent form of his solid stayer Paisley Park and hopeful that his marathon man's resurgency can continue at Cheltenham for the Stayers' Hurdle.
The popular owner, who was born without eyesight, is a firm favourite in the winner's enclosure and has battled health concerns not unlike Paisley Park who won the Stayers' Hurdle in 2019, two years after recovering from a life-threatening bout of colic.
The Emma Lavelle-trained 10-year-old had struggled for wins, finishing third in as many runs before bouncing back to win the Grade 1 Cleeve Hurdle for a third time with an emotional performance at Cheltenham last month.
Gemmell was not there to witness it, as he was recovering from a heart operation but he is now back on his feet.
Paisley Park is named after the late legendary pop singer Prince's home and will go like at Little Red Corvette at Cheltenham in March.
Gemmell is intent on getting fighting fit for the Festival, where Paisley Park will be out to bely his current Betfred odds of 7-1 and land the Stayers' Hurdle for a second time.
"I'm getting there," said Gemmell. "I had to have a valve replacement, which I chose to do.
"Sadly, I missed the Cleeve, but I will be back in time for the Stayers' Hurdle - I am sure I will.
"I came out of hospital last Wednesday and I have a carer working with me now for a couple of weeks.
"I've had people to gradually help me get walking again, which has been difficult. My confidence was a bit low to start with, but I'll be all right. I may in time have to have a pacemaker, but that is down the road.
"I intend, at the moment, to go to Cheltenham and while I will definitely miss Gold Cup day because it is bit too crowded, I will definitely do the Thursday and try to do one or two of the other days as well."
West Ham fan Gemmell will party like its 1999 should Paisley Park do the unthinkable and land the three-mile Grade 1 race on March 17, three years after first doing so.
"I was so frustrated to miss the Cleeve. It is just one of those things. It was the first one I've missed, but it is what it is," said the 69-year-old former local government officer.
"The plan is to go straight to Cheltenham," added Gemmell, who also co-owns the Paul Nolan-trained Discorama with Tom Friel, Irish landlord of the Plaistow pub, which is about a 20-minute walk from West Ham's former ground at Upton park
"The one thing we didn't have last year was the Cleeve Hurdle, which got cancelled. There was a 12-week gap between Ascot and Cheltenham.
"But I think Paisley Park will run well. Yes, it is going to be really stiff, really tough, but he deserves to be in the shake-up now - he has to be.
"His confidence has been restored. Much like myself!"
