'The race should really suit him' - Envoi Allen ready for King George challenge

Envoi Allen will be much better suited to the demands of the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase than stablemate Minella Indo, who flopped in the race last year, according to Henry de Bromhead.

The trainer reported the seven-time Grade 1 winner to be bang on course for a crack at Kempton's Christmas showpiece. The absence of ante-post favourite Allaho may have robbed the race of a lot of its intrigue, but owner Cheveley Park could have an able deputy in Envoi Allen, who is 5-1 with the sponsors following his victory in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal this month.

De Bromhead has admitted defeat in his quest to turn the former Ballymore and Champion Bumper winner into a two-miler, saying the late surge at Down Royal has proved his initial judgement wrong.

The trainer said: "His last win opened our eyes massively. After the John Durkan last December, I said I'm going back to two miles with him. I made a right balls of him for a while. He hit the deck at Cheltenham and he then pulled up at Punchestown. We ran him over the wrong trip most of the time. He looked so good the other day, though. It was great. He was really tough and saw it out really well. I loved the way he ran right through the line.

"He travels really well and, unlike [Minella] Indo last year where I was saying 'I have to force this', you presume he will just travel away in behind them. Hopefully, the race should really suit him. We were always going to try changing the trip, but Robbie Power was adamant that we were going to do it.

"He's in mighty form now and we'll go now for the King George and see what happens after that. We could sharpen his jumping up a little bit. I think we're used to seeing him be a bit extravagant, but over three miles he's going to stride slower and he's not as exuberant."

Christmas will also be the time of reckoning for Bob Olinger, who looks set to go back over three miles at Leopardstown following his second behind Home By The Lee in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan earlier in the month.

De Bromhead said: "We'll enter him over both two miles and three miles, but if Home By The Lee hadn't been in the race on the day I'd dread to think what you'd all be saying. He's back! He would have beaten Zanahiyr and Flooring Porter. I would be leaning towards three miles with him now.

Bob Olinger: 'If Home By The Lee hadn't been in the race on the day – I'd dread to think what you'd all be saying. He's back!'Credit: Mike Hewitt (Getty Images)

"I can't exactly give a reason for last year. I wondered if it was just the fences. Hurdles I suppose are just easier to get from A to B and, when you have an engine like he does, I have to try and utilise that engine."

De Bromhead also confirmed Minella Indo remains on target for the Grade 3 Savills Chase at Tramore on New Year's Day.

He said: "He's mighty and worked really well the other day. The plan at the moment is to go to Tramore for the Savills Chase. He's in great form and was second in the Gold Cup last season when he ran really well. He's still lightly raced and gives his all at Cheltenham every time."

Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (Kempton, December 26)

Ladbrokes: 5-4 Bravemansgame, 4 Hitman, 5 Galopin Des Champs, Envoi Allen, 13-2 Tornado Flyer, 15-2 L'Homme Presse, 12 bar.

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