Envoi Allen ready for Down Royal return

Envoi Allen is set to return to action in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday.

Henry de Bromhead’s 10-year-old is no stranger to the race having won the contest in 2022 before finishing second to Gerri Colombe by just a neck last season.

After the latter run his campaign included second place in the Ryanair Chase and a fourth-placed run in the Melling Chase at Aintree.

De Bromhead reports the gelding to be well ahead of his seasonal reappearance and Down Royal is the intended start to his term.

He said: “Envoi Allen seems in great form, we worked him the other day and we hope to run him.”

Also entered at the meeting is Mystical Goddess, who is set to line up in Friday’s Grade Three Irish Stallion Farms EBF Feathard Lady Mares Novice Hurdle after winning her rules debut at Clonmel by an impressive four and three-quarter lengths earlier in the month.

“Mystical Goddess won in Clonmel and she will go for the mares’ novice hurdle on the Friday,” the trainer added.

“She has come out of Clonmel good and she is a nice mare, so hopefully she will keep progressing.”