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, however optimism is high in the Cheveley Park camp that their popular veteran can bag himself a 3rd triumph in the BetVictor Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday.
It is 6 and a half years since Envoi Allen broke his Grade One duck in the Champion Bumper, the first of three 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 method, but Henry de Bromhead's charge has actually been near above reproach in the first Grade One of the Irish jumps season in each of the previous 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 finishing 3rd 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 wonderful 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 in 2015 ´ s Ladbrokes Champion Chase (Brian Lawless/PA)
"This will probably be his last season, I would guess, so let's how he operates on Saturday and go from there.
"He has had a couple of down days, but there have actually been a lot more good days than bad. Even the times he's been beaten at Cheltenham he's been placed in a Champ Chase and a Ryanair - his CV is just great.
"Henry says he maintains his enthusiasm and if he can get 10 Grade Ones it would be amazing, however as the old stating he goes he owes us absolutely nothing."
Spillane's Tower is a notable non-runner due to unsuitable ground while Gordon Elliott also eliminated Stellar Story.
He still saddles the returning Found A Fifty, Galway Plate and PWC Champion Chase winner Western Fold, with the field completed by Affordale Fury and Keith Watson's rank outsider Flash Collonges.