Love Envoi bids to follow in Honeysuckle's footsteps against best of the Irish

Sunday: 3.10 Fairyhouse
Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final (Grade 1) | 2m4½f | 4yo+ | RTE1/RTV

Two of the greatest mares of all time have won this Grade 1 race in the last decade. Annie Power was successful in 2013, while Honeysuckle did the business six years later. They have since won three Champion Hurdles between them and there could be more to come.

This has also been a goldmine for punters in the last decade. Seven of the last eight winners have been sent off either favourite or joint-favourite with the exception of Augusta Kate in 2017, who had a starting price of 8-1.

The unbeaten Love Envoi looks sure to top the market this time round. She is five from five and produced the best display of her career to win the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last month. She was in command up the home straight and we don't yet know the ceiling of her ability.

Harry Fry will be keeping a close eye on the weather and praying Fairyhouse gets hit with all the rain that is forecast as her festival win was on soft ground and her three victories prior to that were on heavy. She wouldn't really want any good in the description.

Love Envoi's rating of 139 is just 1lb shy of what Honeysuckle was before she won this three years ago and that certainly sets the standard.

She beat six of Sunday's field at Cheltenham, but Brandy Love was not among them as she was a late absentee.

Brandy Love: comes to Sunday's contest fresh after missing the Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The Willie Mullins-trained runner jumped poorly and hung to her left on her last visit to Fairyhouse when second to Allegorie De Vassy in a Grade 3 hurdle in January, but the fact she was still able to get within three and a half lengths of the winner speaks volumes about her ability.

She is most certainly better going left-handed but the application of a hood should help and it is noteworthy that Paul Townend has stayed loyal.

Dinoblue went off 11-8 favourite to beat Love Envoi at Cheltenham but spoiled her chance by being keen and is surely much better than the bare form of that. Grangee did best of the Irish, beaten less than three lengths in third having been restrained and kept wide, and must have a chance.

Impervious is not without hope either on some of her early-season form, while Say Goodbye could go well at a price over this trip.

'The more rain the better'

Harry Fry is hoping a first Grade 1 success for Love Envoi can put the icing on top of what has been a very tasty cake.

Fry is no stranger to plundering big prizes on Irish soil after he sent over Pure Bliss to win a mares' handicap hurdle at last year's Punchestown festival, while Unowhatimeanharry rolled back the years to win the Champion Stayers Hurdle at the same track in 2019.

Love Envoi storms to victory at the Cheltenham Festival under Jonathan BurkeCredit: Mike Hewitt (Getty Images)

In Love Envoi, he has a very talented mare who has gone from strength to strength since joining his yard from Sean Doyle.

Fry said: "She travelled over well and deserves to take her chance. She seems well in herself and has had a brilliant campaign. We're hoping this can be the icing on the cake. The forecast is for more rain, which would be a positive for her."

What they say

Paul Townend, rider of Brandy Love
She will have to behave herself a lot better than she did here last time when she hung off the track with me and her jumping at the second last left a bit to be desired. She is a mare with an awful lot of ability. She is a point-to-point winner, so the step up in trip will be no problem to her. To finish second last time doing what she did was a huge performance. If she just behaves herself, I think she can go one better.

Frank Berry, racing manager to JP McManus, owner of Dinoblue
She was very disappointing in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham. She had only the one run before then in a maiden hurdle. Willie [Mullins] seems happy with her at home so hopefully she can run well.

Colm Murphy, trainer of Impervious
I think she's probably going to Fairyhouse in better order than she was heading into Cheltenham. The ground shouldn't be any problem for her. If she gets a bit of luck I think she could hopefully run a big race.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Lunar Display
She's a nice mare and has held her form together well all season. She seems to be in good form.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Say Goodbye
She's been consistent this season and is a nice mare. She ran well behind Party Central at Leopardstown last time and I think this longer trip will definitely suit her. I'd like to think she has a decent each-way shout.

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