Envoi Allen has seen some huge backing over the last few days for the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival after his trainer Gordon Elliott hinted that the unbeaten gelding will be better when stepped up to 2 mile 4 furlongs.
The trainer has revealed that his bumper and hurdling star will tackle the extra half a furlong in the new year as he heads to Naas in the Grade One Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle on January 5th.
Elliott landed the same contest last season with Battleoverdoyen who also was then entered in the Ballymore on the Wednesday of the March festival subsequently going off favourite for the Grade One event.
There has constant question marks about Envoi Allen as to what race he will head to at the festival with him being the favourite of the Supreme Novices and Ballymore Novices Hurdle but it now looks as if Elliott has made his mind up which has seen the betting change dramatically.
The four year old was 5/2 for the Wednesday event but that has now been scrapped and a general 2/1 is the best price you can get for him.
As for the Supreme he was the stand alone favourite but now Gordon Elliott's other star Abracadabras is in to a joint 6/1 and he is constantly drifting.
(Credit Racing Post) Gordon Elliott said:"Naas is a great track and we have a good few entered in the Lawlor's Of Naas Hurdle. The plan is to run Envoi Allen.
"He won the Royal Bond well at Fairyhouse and the step up two and half miles will suit him. We'll run something else along with him – we'll see closer to the time what else we'll run."