Envoi Allen Bidding For Third Win In Down Royal Feature
Envoi Allen may be in the golden of his career at the age of 11, but is high in the Cheveley Park camp that their popular veteran can bag himself a 3rd victory in the BetVictor Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday.
It is 6 and a half years given that Envoi Allen broke his Grade One duck in the Champion Bumper, the first of 3 triumphs at Cheltenham Festival while his general high-level tally stands at 9.
There have actually been one or 2 bumps in the roadway along the way, but Henry de Bromhead's charge has actually been near faultless in the first Grade Among the Irish dives season in each of the past three seasons, with victories in 2022 and 2024 sandwiching a neck-long defeat at the hands of Gerri Colombe in 2023.
He has been off the track considering that ending up third in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March and Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is thrilled to see him return to a delighted hunting ground this weekend.
He said: "He's been a fantastic horse, what a journey he's taken us on.
"He's won 9 Grade Ones and is a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner.
Envoi Allen winning in 2015 ´ s Ladbrokes Champion Chase (Brian Lawless/PA)
"This will most likely be his last season, I would guess, so let's how he works on Saturday and go from there.
"He has actually had one or 2 down days, however there have been a lot more great days than bad. Even the times he's been beaten at Cheltenham he's been put in a Champ Chase and a Ryanair - his CV is simply wonderful.
"Henry says he maintains his interest and if he can get 10 Grade Ones it would be exceptional, however as the old stating he goes he owes us nothing."
Spillane's Tower is a notable non-runner due to unsuitable ground while Gordon Elliott also ruled out Stellar Story.
He still saddles the returning Found A Fifty, Galway Plate and PWC Champion Chase winner Western Fold, with the field finished by Noel Meade's Affordale Fury and Keith Watson's rank outsider Flash Collonges.
