Ruby Walsh: Envoi Allen was wonderful but wind op revelation raises questions

Despite an impressive winning start over fences - Ruby sounds a note of caution about Envoi Allen.

Ruby Walsh Envoi Allen

By / Horse Racing News, Horse Racing Tips / 3 years ago

*Odds quoted on widgets are ante-post prices which means that if your selection does not run for whatever reason, you will lose your stake under traditional ante-post rules

Ruby Walsh was delighted with the performance of Envoi Allen at Down Royal last Friday as the Cheveley Park-owned runner comfortably won on his chasing debut, to add to his previous eight unbeaten runs previous outings over hurdles and in bumpers.

Trainer Gordon Elliott is expected to aim Envoi Allen at the Marsh Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham Festival next year and speaking on the latest episode of Paddy Power’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast, Ruby was bowled over by Envoi Allen’s display but did issue a word of warning for the future.

I thought Envoi Allen was spectacular – I loved the way he jumped, I loved the way that the horse was so sure what he was doing and I loved the faith that jockey Jack Kennedy had in him.

He never moved on him, he let the horse do his own thing, I thought it was beautiful to watch and he is an incredibly exciting horse.

Was there one question mark over it? Yes, it was the application of a tongue-tie and the revelation that he’s had a wind operation.

Will that come back to haunt him later in the season? They’ve obviously fixed it with the operation but will it come back? Will it deteriorate again?

So that’s the only thing you wonder about but as regards jumping and for his first time over fences, I thought he was wonderful.

I loved everything about it.

Envoi Allen Davy Russell Cheltenham March 11, 2020

It was a superb weekend for the Cheveley Park Stud, with Envoi Allen’s stablemates Ballyadam, Quilixios and Champion Bumper prospect Sir Gerhard all winning at Down Royal and Ruby was impressed by some of the performances..

I think Ballyadam looks a Supreme Novices Hurdle horse with the speed he has, and the stamina backing it up. Quixilios, I don’t know – you can get carried away with juveniles at this time of the year so I’d wait and watch him.

But Sir Gerhard did what really good horses do and went along through the race making you wonder if he is going as fast as he can, and making you wonder if this horse going to live up to the hype.

But the further they went, the easier Sir Gerhard seemed to be going and by the time you got to the two-furlong marker, he was absolutely running away. It’s only the good ones that find it easier the further they go.

Sir Gerhard looked really, really good.

*Odds quoted on widgets are ante-post prices which means that if your selection does not run for whatever reason, you will lose your stake under traditional ante-post rules

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