Envoi Allen can defy advancing years and land Down Royal feature

Victory of Saturday would be the 10th Grade One of an illustrious career

DOWN ROYAL SPECIALIST: Envoi Allen en route to winning last year's Champion Chase at Down Royal for a second time. He can complete a hat-trick on Saturday.  Picture: Healy Racing

The BetVictor Champion Chase on Saturday afternoon’s card in Down Royal is the first Grade One of the National Hunt season and despite rising 12, Envoi Allen can take the race for the third time.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead, he won this in 2022 and 2024 and finished runner-up to Gerri Colombe in 2023. Clearly, this is a good time of year for him, he loves this venue, and at this stage of his career, this has got to be a leading target for his season.

A superb horse for connections, he won the Champion Bumper all the way back in 2019 and victory on Saturday would be the 10th Grade One of an illustrious career.

The nap goes to Firefox, who can put an overdue second chasing victory on his card by taking the Grade Two Kildress Plumbing Chase.

Gordon Elliott’s horse was a leading novice hurdler who looked likely to take high rank amongst the novice chasers. He could hardly have been more impressive on debut, when winning a beginners’ chase at this meeting, and while he was subsequently placed in top company, it was disappointing that he was unable to add to his tally.

However, he returns to the track where he has won on seasonal debut for each of the last two seasons as a fresh horse and can take this race at the expense of Gorgeous Tom and Croke Park.

There are two meetings on Sunday, and the nap goes to Calais, who can get off the mark at the second time of asking by taking the 1xbet.ie Safer Gambling Maiden, the final race on the Curragh’s Flat card.

The four-year-old filly made a belated debut in May at Roscommon and, sent off the 11-10 favourite, she was quite keen through the race but there was plenty to be taken from the way she finished off her race.

She hasn’t been seen since, but Gavin Cromwell’s team is in good form, and given a win on her card is important for the filly who is from the same line as Arc winner Waldgeist, she is bound to be ready for this return. She is preferred to Jack’s Sister, who ran a race of promise when fourth on her debut, just 12 days ago at this venue.

Real Force can get back to winning ways in the 1xBet Supports Irish Racing Sprint Handicap. Ger O’Leary’s gelding hasn’t stood much racing in recent seasons and his only run this term, which was a promising one, was all the way back in March. However, he now runs off an appealing mark of 89 and with the aid of Sam Coen’s 7lb claim, he has strong claims in the easiest race he has contested for quite some time.

Terre De Vega was a huge eyecatcher on his debut for John Kinsella and, with a little improvement, which can be expected, he should go very close in the Finlay Volvo Premier Mile Handicap. This is a fiercely competitive race, however, and he would need to be a decent each-way price to be considered a betting proposition.

The Paddy Power Cork Grand National is the feature on Sunday’s card in Mallow and Bal Kauto can continue the fine run of trainer Declan Queally. The eight-year-old is three from four over fences and yet is still rated lower over these obstacles than over hurdles.

He was impressive winner of both of his starts to date over further than three miles, gives the impression that three and a half miles will be well within compass, and he can take this at the expense of Fortunedefortunata.

Ol Man Dingle is the choice in the Grade Three Paddy Power Betting Shops Irish EBF Novice Chase. On his chasing debut, he readily accounted for subsequent winner Will The Wise, and while this is tougher, he has long looked the type to excel as a chaser, and this is a good opportunity to make a mark at a higher level.

DOWN ROYAL (Saturday) 

Selections

11:50 Mange Tout 

12:25 Kalypso’chance (nb) 

1:00 Road Exile 

1:35 Wendrock 

2:10 Ceanndana 

2:40 Envoi Allen 

3:15 Firefox (nap) 

3:50 With Nolimit 

Next best 

11:50 Wizard Of Odds 

12:25 Stepdance 

1:00 A Dream To Share 

1:35 Balko d’Ange 

2:10 Onethreefivenotout 

2:40 Stellar Story 

3:15 Gorgeous Tom 

3:50 Ballyfad 

CURRAGH (Sunday) 

Selections 

12:25 James J Braddock 

12:55 Real Force (nb) 

1:25 Tina’s Indian 

1:55 Key Witness 

2:30 Uxmal 

3:05 Terre De Vega 

3:40 Starford 

4:15 Calais (nap) 

Next best 

12:25 Cannes 

12:55 Airspeed 

1:25 Shamalza 

1:55 Greek Flower 

2:30 Chally Chute 

3:05 Coeur d’Or 

3:40 Ballet Slippers 

4:15 Jack’s Sister 

CORK (Sunday) 

Selections 

12:10 Mister Pessimistic 

12:40 I’m Slippy 

1:10 Crowsatedappletart 

1:40 Working Away 

2:10 Cardcounter 

2:45 Ol Man Dingle 

3:20 Bal Kauto 

3:55 West Cork Wildway 

Next best 

12:10 Ready For Road 

12:40 Foxy Footprints 

1:10 Space Warrior 

1:40 Echoing Silence 

2:10 Good Girl Kathleen 

2:45 Mossy Fen Park 

3:20 Fortunedefortunata 

3:55 Arctic Gale