Elliott lets his unbeaten Ballymore beauty Envoi Allen do the talking

Training jumpers is hard enough – look at the last-minute setbacks that befell Altior and Chacun Pour Soi. Why make things more difficult by weighing your horse down with a 7lb penalty of hype?

When he is as good as Envoi Allen, why not let him do the talking for you?

Gordon Elliott steadfastly refused to get carried away with his latest hugely impressive Ballymore Novices' Hurdle winner, two years after stablemate Samcro was lauded to the skies following a similarly stylish odds-on success in the same championship event.

That apparent superstar soon surrendered his unbeaten record and is on something of a mission to retrieve his reputation in the Marsh Novices' Chase here on Thursday.

Asked about Envoi Allen's potential and how he might compare with some of his very best horses, the Gold Cup-winning trainer said: "I'm not going to answer that question. He's a very nice horse and as long as he keeps winning I'm happy."

The temptation to reach for the superlatives must have been overwhelming. How could you not enthuse about a horse good enough to win the Champion Bumper here last year, to land his first three hurdle races comfortably and then to take the breath away as he made it eight from eight back at Cheltenham?

Even Elliott himself had wondered whether Cheveley Park Stud's 4-7 favourite might have been "a couple of lengths too far out of his ground" as he swung off the home turn around six lengths behind The Big Getaway and stablemate Easywork.

Yet no sooner had the thought crossed his mind than Envoi Allen unleashed a burst of raw power under Davy Russell to storm into the lead before the final flight and go on to score by four and a quarter lengths.

The jockey had been at pains not to go too soon with a horse who does not do a lot in front and said: "He can switch himself off and he runs in neutral and it's hard when to light him up, you couldn't light him up too early because he could do too much so it's timing with him.

"But when I did bend my knees I had plenty of horse there and he really loved chasing the horses in front of him."

Elliott's main emotion was relief and he said: "He was our big runner for the week so this was the big pressure. He was our best chance for the week and everybody was here to see him.

"He did everything he needed to do. He jumped, he stayed and when he got to the front he just did what he had to do, he doesn't do a stroke when he gets to the front. He's a bit tired after the race, he knows he had a race, Davy said they went a proper gallop, and he showed how good he is."

Davy Russell punches the air in joy after winning the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle on Envoi AllenCredit: Patrick McCann

Samcro's victory led to months of speculation over future plans, which ended with an abortive Champion Hurdle campaign before he was switched to fences.

But chasing appears to beckon for Envoi Allen as Richard Thompson, son of owners David and Patricia Thompson, said: "You would like to think he'll kick on to chasing next season. I don't think we'll be aiming him at the Champion Hurdle, I can't see that."

Elliott added: "I'll have to discuss it with the owners, we'll enjoy today and see what happens. He was bought to be a three-mile chaser, that's all I'm saying."

That may not be good news for Willie Mullins, whose The Big Getaway finished third behind the Elliott pair.

"He was beaten by a proper horse," the trainer said. "Ours looks a real chasing type and I imagine we'll be looking towards the RSA next season – but we'll probably have to meet the winner there again!"

Watch Envoi Allen maintain his unbeaten record in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

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