Envoi Allen Bidding For Third Win In Down Royal Feature

Envoi Allen might be in the golden of his profession 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 six and a half years considering that Envoi Allen broke his Grade One duck in the Champion Bumper, the very first of three accomplishments at Cheltenham Festival while his general top-level tally stands at 9.


There have actually been a couple of bumps in the road along the method, however Henry de Bromhead's charge has actually been near faultless 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 actually 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 go back to a pleased hunting ground this weekend.


He stated: "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 in 2015 ´ s Ladbrokes Champion Chase (Brian Lawless/PA)


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


"He has actually had one or 2 down days, but there have actually been a lot more excellent days than bad. Even the times he's been beaten at Cheltenham he's been positioned in a Champion Chase and a - his CV is simply fantastic.


"Henry says he retains his enthusiasm and if he can get 10 Grade Ones it would be exceptional, however as the old saying he goes he owes us nothing."


Spillane's Tower is a noteworthy non-runner due to inappropriate ground while Gordon Elliott likewise eliminated 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.