ELLIOTT’S SPECIAL ENVOI
ENVOI ALLEN is now as short as 5-4 for Cheltenham’s Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle after defending his unbeaten record in handsome style at Naas yesterday.
The Cheveley Park Studowned six-year-old, now seven from seven under Rules after landing odds of 1-4 in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle, will receive an entry in the Champion Hurdle at the National Hunt Festival on 10 March.
“He’ll probably have three entries – the
Ballymore, the Supreme Novices’ and the Champion Hurdle – so we have all our options covered,” said Envoi Allen’s trainer Gordon Elliott.
“We’ll discuss it with the owners but my own feeling is that we’ll keep him in his own grade at the moment.”
Tackling two and a half miles for the first time, Envoi Allen and Davy Russell challenged the Willie Mullins-trained leader Elixir D’Ainay at the second-last flight before surging clear to score by three and a half lengths.
“We never expected him to win any more than a couple of lengths because when he gets there he just does what he has to do,” added Elliott.
“Davy said he learned more today than he ever learned. He’ll be entered in everything at Cheltenham. He could go to two miles or go this trip.”
Russell, whose mount is just 5-1 for the Champion Hurdle with Betfred – he is William Hill’s 3-1 favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – added: “He can do everything.
“It was a true test, a good, solid race. My horse will need to keep improving, and he has.”