Envoi Allen Bidding For Third Win In Down Royal Feature
Envoi Allen may be in the twilight 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 3rd victory in the BetVictor Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday.
It is 6 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 high-level tally stands at 9.
There have been a couple of bumps in the roadway along the way, but Henry de Bromhead's charge has been near faultless in the first Grade One of the Irish jumps season in each of the previous three 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 since finishing third in the at Cheltenham in March and Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is excited to see him go back to a delighted hunting ground this weekend.
He stated: "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 runs on Saturday and go from there.
"He has actually had one or 2 down days, but there have 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 fantastic.
"Henry says he retains his interest and if he can get 10 Grade Ones it would be impressive, however as the old saying he goes he owes us absolutely nothing."
Spillane's Tower is a notable non-runner due to unsuitable ground while Gordon Elliott likewise ruled out 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.