Envoi Allen Bidding For Third Win In Down Royal Feature

Envoi Allen might remain in the golden of his career at the age of 11, however optimism is high in the camp that their popular veteran can bag himself a 3rd success 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 first of three accomplishments at Cheltenham Festival while his overall high-level tally stands at 9.


There have been a couple of bumps in the roadway along the way, however Henry de Bromhead's charge has been near irreproachable in the first Grade One of the Irish dives 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 because ending up third in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March and Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is delighted to see him go back to a delighted searching ground this weekend.


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


"He's won 9 Grade Ones and is a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner.


Envoi Allen winning in 2015 ´ s Ladbrokes Champion Chase (Brian Lawless/PA)


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


"He has had a couple of down days, but there have 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 Ryanair - his CV is simply fantastic.


"Henry states he retains his enthusiasm and if he can get 10 Grade Ones it would be impressive, but 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 also dismissed 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.