Unbeaten Envoi Allen among stellar cast declared for Down Royal on Friday

The most exciting jumps horse in training will make his eagerly-awaited debut over fences at Down Royal on Friday as the unbeaten Envoi Allen has been declared for the Advanced NI Scaffolding Beginners Chase (3.00).

Jack Kennedy, who returns to action at Clonmel on Thursday just 18 days after breaking his collarbone at Limerick, will partner Envoi Allen for the first time in the absence of the injured Davy Russell.

Envoi Allen was last seen storming to success in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, his eighth straight success on the track. The six-year-old will face five rivals, with his biggest challenge expected to come from the Henry de Bromhead-trained January Jets, who was rated 128 over hurdles.

Abacadabras (left): returns in the WKD HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The Grade 2 WKD Hurdle (1.50) sees the Supreme Novices' Hurdle runner-up Abacadabras begin his road to the Champion Hurdle.

Abacadabras touched a low of 1.15 in-running on Betfair before being caught late by Shishkin in the Supreme and is 5-1 second favourite with most firms to go one better in the 2021 Champion Hurdle.

Triumph Hurdle runner-up Aspire Tower is among Abacadabras' six opponents, while the 145-rated Jason The Militant is another interesting runner in the 2m contest.

Queens Brook, third to Ferny Hollow in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, is the star name among the eight runners declared for the Grade 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle (1.15).

The unbeaten Farouk D'alene makes his jumping debut in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle (12.40) for Elliott and Kennedy, while the highly-regarded Chemical Energy has been declared for the bumper (4.10).

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