Cheltenham Festival: Envoi Allen chasing fourth Festival success in Ryanair Chase defence
Envoi Allen heads for the Cheltenham Festival chasing a fourth victory at the meeting; the star landed the Ryanair Chase last year and also took the Champion Bumper and Ballymore (now Gallagher) Novices' Hurdle
Thursday 7 March 2024 14:21, UK
Last season's Ryanair Chase hero Envoi Allen is set to lead a small but select Cheveley Park Stud team into battle at next week's Cheltenham Festival.
The leading owners have enjoyed major success at the showpiece meeting since branching out into the National Hunt sphere, with Envoi Allen himself a three-time Festival winner, having also landed the Champion Bumper in 2019 and what is now the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle 12 months later.
The 10-year-old has not been seen in competitive action since being narrowly denied by Gerri Colombe in his bid for back-to-back victories in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal in November, but Cheveley Park's managing director Richard Thompson is excited to see him defend his Ryanair crown.
- BHA suspend drug testing pilot scheme after O'Neill negative result
- Andrews chasing Grand National dream with Latenightpass
"There was a plan to run him in between (Down Royal and Cheltenham) but we didn't want to take on Allaho and he wasn't quite 100 per cent, so we just thought we'd go straight to Cheltenham," he told Sky Sports Racing.
"He's won three times at Cheltenham in the last five years, he's 10 years old now so he's getting on a bit, but he's in great shape, so we hope for a big run from him.
"All I hear is that he's in very good shape. Last year was fantastic, as I didn't necessarily think he'd beat Shishkin, but Envoi Allen was pretty commanding right the way through last year's Ryanair and he is a dangerous horse.
"Although he was (billed as) the second coming four or five years ago, he has clocked up eight Grade Ones and three Cheltenham Festival victories, so he certainly goes with a big chance."
The first horse set to carry the Cheveley Park silks at Prestbury Park next week is Tullyhill in the curtain-raising Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
While just one of nine entries in the race for Willie Mullins, unlike many of his stablemates, the grey has only got one possible assignment and has impressed in his last couple of races after being beaten at long odds-on on his hurdling debut.
"Willie has always had big hopes for him and last time out he really did look the real deal," Thompson went on.
"He's only got the one entry next week, obviously we don't know what else Willie is going to run in the Supreme and we'll probably find that out on Sunday and see where we're at.
"We're delighted he's running and he goes there with a big chance."
The owners' Festival squad is also set to include Quilixios in Tuesday's Arkle Trophy and Sir Gerhard in the Stayers' Hurdle next Thursday.
Thompson added: "Quilixios has got Cheltenham form - he won the Triumph Hurdle in 2021 - and I think going back to two miles last time out, his jumping was excellent. The Arkle looks an open race this year, he's in great form and we've got to fancy our chances of a big run.
"Sir Gerhard is a double Cheltenham winner after winning the Champion Bumper and the Ballymore (Gallagher), which is a big factor with these horses.
"This is a horse with a lot of talent, we wanted to go over fences but have reverted back to hurdles and again I'm pretty hopeful he'll run a big race. There's more confidence than not that he'll be able to stay the three miles."
