Envoi Allen Bidding For Third Win In Down Royal Feature

Envoi Allen might be in the golden of his career at the age of 11, but optimism is high in the Cheveley Park camp that their popular veteran can bag himself a third success 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 very first of 3 triumphs at Cheltenham Festival while his overall top-level tally stands at 9.


There have actually been one or 2 bumps in the road along the method, but Henry de Bromhead's charge has been near supreme in the first Grade Among the Irish dives season in each of the past three seasons, with triumphes in 2022 and 2024 sandwiching a neck-long defeat at the hands of Gerri Colombe in 2023.


He has been off the track since ending up third in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March and Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is thrilled to see him go back to a happy hunting ground this weekend.


He said: "He's been a great horse, what a journey he's taken us on.


"He's won nine Grade Ones and is a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner.


Envoi Allen winning last year ´ s Chase (Brian Lawless/PA)


"This will most likely be his last season, I would think, so let's how he runs on Saturday and go from there.


"He has actually had a couple of down days, but there have actually 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 keeps his interest and if he can get 10 Grade Ones it would be remarkable, however as the old saying he goes he owes us nothing."


Spillane's Tower is a significant non-runner due to inappropriate ground while Gordon Elliott likewise dismissed Stellar Story.


He still saddles the returning Found A Fifty, Galway Plate and PWC Champion Chase winner Western Fold, with the field completed by Noel Meade's Affordale Fury and Keith Watson's rank outsider Flash Collonges.