'He seems in great form and he's working well' - Ryanair hero Envoi Allen returns to action

For a horse who has won 15 of his 22 races, scooped eight Grade 1s, won at three Cheltenham Festivals and earned almost £800,000 in prize-money, Envoi Allen doesn't half have his knockers. 

Perhaps that is because our early expectations were so high. He won his sole point-to-point on the bridle at Ballinaboola for Colin Bowe and then proceeded to win his first 11 starts under rules, including the Champion Bumper and Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham. The chasing world was seemingly at his feet until he crashed out of the 2021 Marsh Novices' Chase at the fourth fence after going off at 4-9. 

His career has been a bit chequered since then and he may not be the winning machine he once was, but he has won three Grade 1s in the last two seasons and remains top class on his day.

The key to Envoi Allen seems to be freshness. He won first time out last season in the Champion Chase at Down Royal on the back of a 193-day absence and his Ryanair Chase success at the festival in March came after 80 days off. He has made a winning reappearance in every one of the last five seasons and should really make that six here. 

Envoi Allen is rated 163, 5lb superior to Easy Game, but he was given a Racing Post Rating of 169 for his Ryanair victory over Shishkin, who franked the form next time in the Bowl at Aintree. He is a proper Grade 1 horse, whereas Easy Game isn't. 

Henry de Bromhead won this race four times in a row between 2011 and 2014 with the sensational Sizing Europe, and he knows what it takes to have one of his stars ready for it. 

Easy Game, who was a late withdrawal from the Kerry Group Chase with a temperature, is in receipt of 4lb and it is worth remembering he won this race last year and in 2020. If the real Envoi Allen doesn't show up, he will be there to gobble up the scraps left behind. 

The potential fly in the ointment is Gentlemansgame. His sole start over fences has worked out spectacularly well. He beat subsequent Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus by eight lengths and earned an RPR of 154. This is a very talented operator who is a natural over his fences. He is only seven and there could be a lot more to come from him this season. 

The remaining three, Mister Fogpatches, Hurricane Georgie and Good As Hell, have mountains to climb on the figures and will be priced accordingly. 

Envoi Allen is 8-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power to win back-to-back Ryanair Chases in 2024.

What they say 

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Envoi Allen
He seems to be in great form and he's working well. Potentially he could go back to Down Royal for the Champion Chase, but we'll get this out of the way first and see how it goes before looking any further ahead.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Easy Game
He's in good shape, but the recent bad weather hasn't been in his favour. He won the race last year, but it looks a better race this year and it's on much softer ground, so he'll be up against it.

Mouse Morris, trainer of Gentlemansgame
We're playing catch-up with him in terms of experience and that's why he's out so early. He's in good form and we're looking forward to getting him started back, but he'll improve for the run. He's a talented horse, though.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Hurricane Georgie
She didn't run too badly at all in the Galway Plate but didn't jump as well as she can at Listowel. She'll be up against it in what looks a hot race but hopefully she'll give a good account of herself.

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