Down Royal remains on the agenda for 'ring rusty' Envoi Allen following underwhelming return

Back-to-back wins in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal next month remains the aim for Envoi Allen despite his underwhelming reappearance at Gowran Park on Saturday.

Last season's Ryanair Chase winner was 13-8 favourite to make a winning return to action in the PWC Champion Chase, but the best he could muster was third as the prolific Easy Game won the race for a third time.

It was the first time in his career that Envoi Allen did not make a winning reappearance and Paddy Power pushed him out to 16-1 for the next year's Ryanair Chase as a result.

Henry de Bromhead admitted he was disappointed by the comeback, but hopes to see an improved performance from Envoi Allen at Down Royal on November 4.

"Envoi Allen seems fine," the trainer said. "It was a little bit disappointing and he looked a bit ring rusty, but he has got his first run of the season out the way now and we'll kick on with him and see how he goes.

"I'd say potentially he will go back to Down Royal for the Champion Chase there. He won it last year and we'll see how he does over the next few weeks with a view to going back there."

According to Racing Post ratings, the second best performance of Envoi Allen's career arrived in last year's Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal when he stayed on to beat Kemboy by a length and three-quarters. The run merited an RPR of 169, only 2lb shy of what he achieved in the Ryanair.

Envoi Allen has won at three of the last five Cheltenham Festivals. As well as his Ryanair success earlier this year, he landed the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in 2019 and the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle in 2020. He has won 15 of his 23 career outings and earned nearly £800,000 in prize-money.

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