Envoi Allen Bidding For Third Win In Down Royal Feature
Envoi Allen may remain 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 victory 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 very first of three accomplishments at Cheltenham Festival while his general high-level tally stands at 9.
There have actually been a couple of bumps in the roadway along the way, but Henry de Bromhead's charge has been near supreme in the very first Grade One of the Irish dives season in each of the previous 3 seasons, with success in 2022 and 2024 sandwiching a neck-long defeat at the hands of Gerri Colombe in 2023.
He has actually been off the track considering that completing third in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March and Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is delighted to see him return to a delighted 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 Ladbrokes Champion Chase (Brian Lawless/PA)
"This will most likely 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 been a lot more great days than bad. Even the times he's been beaten at Cheltenham he's been put in a Champion Chase and a Ryanair - his CV is simply great.
"Henry says he maintains his interest and if he can get 10 Grade Ones it would be amazing, but as the old saying he goes he owes us nothing."
Spillane's Tower is a noteworthy non-runner due to unsuitable ground while Gordon Elliott likewise eliminated Stellar Story.
He still saddles the returning Found A Fifty, Galway Plate and PWC Champion Chase winner Fold, with the field finished by Noel Meade's Affordale Fury and Keith Watson's rank outsider Flash Collonges.