Love Envoi renews rivalry with Cheltenham opponents as she bids for breakthrough Grade 1

Harry Fry is taking dead aim at Punchestown with his smart mare Love Envoi, who was last seen finishing a gallant second to 13-time Grade 1 winner Honeysuckle in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The trainer has had plenty of success at the festival, including with the durable Unowhatimeanharry, who landed two Champion Stayers' Hurdles for the Dorset-based trainer. In fact, Fry's record at the track reads 6-26 with a profit of €26 to a €1 stake.

Love Envoi has never finished outside the first two in her ten starts, with her only two runner-up efforts coming in Grade 1s at Fairyhouse and Cheltenham. The seven-year-old had five of her six rivals today behind her at Cheltenham, as her opponents found it difficult to get into the contest from off the pace. A similar set-up could be in store as she is arguably the only pace angle in the race and, with Danny Mullins on board, she has a jockey adept at judging fractions from the front.

Harry Fry: trainer of Love EnvoiCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Echoes In Rain looks to have claims of reversing the form with the hood back on at a track she enjoys, having finished second in last season's Champion Hurdle after winning the 2021 Champion Novice Hurdle. The muddling pace at Cheltenham would have been to her detriment when finishing fourth and Paul Townend will hope to have a decent pace to aim at in the latter stages if she is to mow them down.

Gordon Elliott's Queens Brook was third at Cheltenham and has some formidable course form. Her form figures read 211 at this track, including when comfortably beating Anna Bunina and Brandy Love in February, and she needs considering.

Brandy Love will have to step forward from Cheltenham to trouble the favourite, while Epatante finished fourth in the Aintree Hurdle last time out and will seek to improve on her third in this last season when going off a 4-6 favourite. She will try to give Nicky Henderson his second successive win in the race after Marie's Rock last year.

Shewearsitwell impressed when winning a Pertemps qualifier here last November but disappointed at Cheltenham, and John McConnell's consistent mare Anna Bunina arrives in good form having finished third in last week's Scottish Champion Hurdle.

What they say

Harry Fry, trainer of Love Envoi
I'm looking forward to having another go at a Grade 1 with her; she's finished runner-up on both occasions at that level. She ran a wonderful race in the Mares' Hurdle. There's no Honeysuckle but we've got the horses who followed us home at Cheltenham, so we're not taking anything for granted. She's still got to turn up and be on her A-game to beat some very good mares, but she seems in good form.  

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Queens Brook
She's been incredibly consistent over the last few seasons and never lets us down. She ran another cracker at Cheltenham and seems to be in good form since. We know she likes Punchestown, so we're hoping for a big run.

Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, owner of Epatante
She ran well in the Aintree Hurdle the last day to a point and Nicky has been happy with her since. She is coming home for her holidays now and it would be nice to see her run well.

Paul Townend, rider of Echoes In Rain
I have jumped ship from Brandy Love at Cheltenham. There was very little between them that day and it wasn’t an easy choice but Echoes In Rain was a Grade 1 winner around this track as a novice and going right-handed doesn’t play to Brandy Love’s strengths. I could be on the wrong one, though, and I found it very hard to split them. Love Envoi sets the standard on Cheltenham form. I’m hoping my horse can settle and her form with Honeysuckle at this meeting last year was very good. It's a track she runs well at.

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