Leading horse racing group Cheveley Park Stud are mostly well known in the industry for producing outstanding flat horses but more so this year have really upped their game with jumps horses.
This has lead to the famous red, white and blue silks having their best field of runners at this seasons Cheltenham festival with serious chances of multiple winners.
The horse leading the line for Cheveley Park comes from their youngest and least exposed gelding in Envoi Allen who looks set to top the market for trainer Gordon Elliott in this seasons renewal of the Champion Bumper.
This season for the racing owners after seeing how well they have done in the sport with their flat horses they have also dipped into the National Hunt scene and have made a remarkable start.
The stand out of their horses is Envoi Allen who they bought for a pricey £400,000 but in the grand schemes of things it looks to be a savvy deal with the potential and racing career he could turn out to have.
The five year old was bought by Cheveley Park Stud off the back winning a point to point in Ireland, and overall that is where the owners have had most of their success.
Envoi Allen has raced three times in his career under leading Irish trainer Gordon Elliott and he has gone on to complete a hat trick winning all of his contests by large distances and looks to be a really special young horse.
His last victory came in what was really his first proper test in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown and again he went on to dominate the field and use this prep run for the Champion Bumper at the festival.
Envoi Allen looks a class apart as he romps to victory @NavanRacecourse
— BetBright (@BetBright) December 16, 2018
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Credit At The Races
(Credit At The Races) Cheveley Park’s managing director, Chris Richardson, said: “As things stand, the plan is to run Envoi Allen in the Champion Bumper – as long as all is well between now and then.
“He’s a good-looking horse, and I thought he was impressive at Leopardstown.
“The way he ran set it up for the others to come and tackle him, but he was really tough and galloped all the way to the line.”
As said the five year old will be leading the line for the racing Group this year, who in their first national hunt season field a small but strong group of runners at Prestbury Park.
Richardson added: “Envoi Allen will be our flag-bearer at Cheltenham this year, and there are a few others we’re still not sure about.
“The Fred Winter would look the logical race for Chief Justice, while A Plus Tard could go for the Close Brothers (Novices’ Handicap Chase).
“It’s not all about Cheltenham this year – we’re looking to the future – and we only want to take horses we think will have a chance.”
Another youngster who was set to headline the Champion Bumper for Cheveley Park was Malone Road for Gordon Elliott again.
This five year old had gone down the same route as his stablemate Envoi Allen by winning an Irish points race and then being bought for £325,000.
He looked a really strong an powerful gelding, winning both his two start in bumpers but picked up an injury that will see him miss Cheltenham but hopefully not the entire rest of the season.
Richardson said: “Malone Road definitely won’t go to Cheltenham. There is a chance he could go to Punchestown at the end of April, but we’ll see.
“He is a horse they rate extremely highly, and it could be that we treat him like the good horse we think he is and give him plenty of time.
“He’s only five and he’ll be an even better horse next season, hopefully.”