CHELTENHAM, England - Maybe it’s the seven-race winning streak since the autumn of 2018. Perhaps it’s that he’s from a smaller stable or that his owner has been blind since birth. With all that put together, Paisley Park is an immensely popular 8-year-old gelding, who just happens to be brilliant at running three-mile races over hurdles. Throw in a grueling uphill finish and Paisley Park is even more dangerous. Thursday, Paisley Park is expected to display that ability in the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle at three miles at Cheltenham Racecourse, one of three Grade 1 races on a seven-race program that begins at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, or 6:30 a.m. Pacific. :: Thursday Cheltenham PPs Paisley Park will be an odds-on favorite to win the $420,940 Stayers’ Hurdle for the second consecutive year. Trained by Emma Lavelle for owner Andrew Gemmell, Paisley Park has won both of his starts this year – the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November and the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle here on Jan. 25. In those races, and in the 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle, Paisley Park took his typical position under jockey Aidan Coleman, stalking the pace before taking the lead at the final hurdle. The style gives the wins a bit of drama to his fans, who are not going to get too far with their winnings if Paisley Park’s price holds at the odds of 4-6 offered on Tuesday. In the Cleeve Hurdle, Paisley Park finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of Summerville Boy, his main rival on Thursday. Gemmell has been a fixture at Paisley Park’s races, and stood beaming at the gelding’s side in the winner’s circle of the 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle. Gemmell is quick with a joke, too. Last year, Gemmell gave his phone number to a journalist with the advice, “It’s best not to text.” Aside from his stellar race record, Paisley Park is a hit with music fans, too. He is named after the Minnesota studio of the late singer Prince. :: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Paisley Park will be shortest-priced favorite on Thursday’s program. In the preceding race, the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at 2 1/2 miles, A Plus Tard will be favored at about 2-1 to win for the second consecutive year at the Cheltenham Festival. Trained in Ireland by Henry de Bromhead, A Plus Tard won a Grade 1 chase at 2 1/8 miles at Leopardstown, Ireland on Dec. 27, but was held out of the Grade 1 Dublin Chase on Feb. 1 because conditions were considered too soft. A Plus Tard, who will be ridden by Rachael Blackmore, has two main rivals in a field of eight in Min and Frodon. Min has won 10 of 20 starts, but was fifth in the Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase here last March. Frodon won the 2019 Ryanair Chase in a thrilling style. Ridden by Byrony Frost, Frodon held an early lead, lost his advantage, and then regained the lead before winning by 1 1/4 lengths. Last year, Frodon and Paisley Park’s back-to-back wins was widely rated as one of the finest hours of racing in the jump racing season. An encore is possible on Thursday. :: Bet the Cheltenham races on DRF Bets The program begins with the Grade 1 March Novices’ Chase at about 2 1/2 miles, which drew a field of 12. Faugheen, a 12-year-old who won nine Grade 1 races over hurdles from 2014 to 2018, runs in the March Novices’ Chase unbeaten in three races over fences. Trained by Willie Mullins, Faugheen is the oldest horse in the field by four years. Since November, Faugheen has won chases at Punchestown, Limerick and Leopardstown, overcoming mistakes to prevail by a half-length in his latest start on Feb. 2. Tuesday, Faugheen was 6-1 with British bookmakers.  Itchy Feet, a 6-year-old gelding capable of setting the pace, was the 7-2 favorite. Thursday handicapping analysis Faugheen won his first race at Punchestown, Ireland, in May 2013. That was the year four of his rivals in Thursday’s Grade 1 Marsh Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham Racecourse were born. Five other runners in the field of 12 were foaled in 2014 or 2015. Faugheen, 12, has the experience and a remarkable record, winning 17 of 25 races. When the gelding was in the midst of a 10-race winning streak at the start of his career, which included a victory in the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle here in 2015, he was known as Faugheen the Machine. The Machine was sidelined from January 2016 to November 2017 and then won 2 of 9 starts in hurdle races through April 2019. Since last fall, Faugheen has raced over fences in steeplechases in Ireland, winning three times - a minor race at Punchestown in November, and Grade 1 races at Limerick in December and at Leopardstown on Feb. 2. In the Marsh Novices’ Chase at about 2 1/2 miles, Faugheen figures to be the third choice, at about 6-1. Trained by Willie Mullins, Faugheen will be ridden by Paul Townend, who was aboard for two of the wins this season. Itchy Feet, a 6-year-old trained in England by Olly Murphy, is a deserving favorite at 7-2 on the basis of his two chase wins at Leicester on Dec. 28 and Sandown on Feb. 1. Itchy Feet led throughout on Dec. 28 at 1-5 and overcame a stumble in the final half-mile to win the Sandown race by 3 1/2 lengths over Midnight Shadow, one of the foals of 2013. Samcro, second to Faugheen at Limerick on Dec. 26, was the 11-2 second choice as of Wednesday to win for the second time in four chases in the Marsh Novices’ Chase. Itchy Feet merits massive respect in the Marsh Novices’ Chase and is rated as a top selection, but there will be sentimental support for fan favorite Faugheen. Later on the seven-race program, there are championship races for chasers at 2 1/2 miles and three-mile hurdlers. In the Ryanair Chase at 2 1/2 miles, A Plus Tard is an attractive favorite against seven rivals. Trained by Henry de Bromhead, who had two wins on Tuesday, A Plus Tard won a Grade 1 chase at 2 1/8 miles at Leopardstown on Dec. 27 in smart style. Ridden by Rachael Blackmore, who has the mount on Thursday, A Plus Tard stalked the pace before taking the lead over the final fence. Min, trained by Mullins, is likely to be second choice. He has won 8 of 15 starts in chases, often racing from the front. The 2019 winner Frodon is easy to back, but is also a front-runner. An 8-year-old gelding, Frodon gave one of the most determined performances to win last year. He disputed the pace, lost the lead between the second and final fence, and won by 1 1/4 lengths after taking the lead through the uphill finish. Byrony Frost rode Frodon in 2019 and has the mount on Thursday. If Frodon and Min set any sort of pace, A Plus Tard could inherit a perfect trip. Paisley Park will be the shortest-priced favorite of the day in the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle at three miles, a race he won 2019. Trained by Emma Lavelle, Paisley Park won a Grade 2 prep race here in January in his typical style of taking the lead at the final hurdle. An 8-year-old, Paisley Park has won 8 of 11 starts over hurdles. The distance will suit Emitom, the winner of a Grade 2 hurdle at 3 1/16 miles at Haydock Park on Feb. 15. Emitom was second in a Grade 1 novices’ hurdle at 3 116 miles Aintree last April. He can easily hit the board on Thursday, but beating Paisley Park will be difficult on a day when three Grade 1 races could produce formful results.