Is it a problem for Envoi Allen and Abacadabras to go straight to Cheltenham?

Envoi Allen: Gordon Elliott's crack youngster may run at the Dublin Racing Festival

Envoi Allen: Gordon Elliott's crack youngster misses the Dublin Racing FestivalCredit: Patrick McCann

'No, it's nothing to worry about'
Keith Melrose, betting editor

Safety first is Gordon Elliott's natural approach, so this news is not the greatest surprise. Envoi Allen and Abacadabras both already have slightly more experience than Samcro did going into the festival as a novice hurdler (Elliott's other Grade 1 festival novice hurdle winner, Labaik, is a special case).

It is likely that most of their respective rivals will have a more recent run behind them. However, gaps of 66 and 74 days are not usually cited as negatives. In fact, those were the exact breaks that Battleoverdoyen and Champ carried into last year's Ballymore, and fitness was seldom cited in the negative column for those two.

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Published on 31 January 2020inNews

Last updated 12:57, 31 January 2020

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