Donn McClean's Irish Angle: Weekend review following Envoi Allen's win in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle
Donn McClean looks back on Envoi Allen's brilliant victory at Naas on Sunday and consider's what race Gordon Elliott will choose for his charge at the Cheltenham Festival.
No question who the star of the weekend show in Ireland was anyway.
There is a pressure that goes with an unblemished CV, attention is heightened when you put an unbeaten record on the line, as Envoi Allen did once again in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle at Naas on Sunday.
And there was the weight of expectation that went with that, and with all that Gordon Elliott’s horse had achieved before, quantified by an SP of 1/4. And he won again. That’s what Envoi Allen does.
You couldn’t have hoped for more really. Davy Russell quickly had him settled into his racing rhythm, disputing the lead up on the outside of Elixir D’Ainay over the first three flights, then settled in behind Willie Mullins’ horse. He joined the leader again at the second last flight, moved on on the run to the last and stayed on well from there all the way to the line.
Once again, there was a lot to like about this performance from the Cheveley Park Stud horse. For starters, he was trying a new trip under Rules. He has shaped as if he would stay further than two miles for a little while, but now we know that he stays two and a half miles well. Davy Russell said afterwards that he could do it over any trip.
He was taking on a good field of fellow novices, horses with proven ability and potential for more, Elixir D’Ainay and Longhouse Poet in particular, and he beat them well.
7⃣ The unbeaten record is stretched to seven as Envoi Allen wins @NaasRacecourse. Where would you go at Cheltenham with him?pic.twitter.com/bk4Msj6Woz
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) January 5, 2020
He didn’t pull 12 lengths clear or anything, but he left the impression that he had more left to give. In the end, he won by three and a half lengths, with a similar distance back to Longhouse Poet in third.
Elliott said afterwards that he would probably be entered in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Ballymore Hurdle at Cheltenham, as well as in the Champion Hurdle.
There will inevitably be plenty of Champion Hurdle talk - he is as low as 5/1 in places - but you have to think that, unless the Champion Hurdle is decimated by defectors, he will stick to the novice route. You only get one year as a novice.
While he jumped well here in the main among novices, his jumping will get slicker with experience and, all going well, he will be better equipped for the 2021 Champion Hurdle than for the 2020 Champion Hurdle.
Elixir D’Ainay put up a fine performance in defeat, too. He set a good pace and, while he gave best to the winner between the last two flights, he kept on well to retain second spot from another talented rival in Longhouse Poet, whom he had also beaten back in November. This was just JP McManus’ horse’s fifth run, it was probably a career-best and he should continue to progress.
Cash Back should also continue to progress. Willie Mullins’ horse was impressive in winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase, leading from flagfall and making all.
He was keen enough early on, and he did get in tight to the second fence past the stands but, racing over fences for just the second time in his life, he travelled and jumped well in the main for Danny Mullins.
He and Zero Ten came away from their rivals on the run over the fourth last and third last fences and, while Zero Ten looked dangerous on the run to the second last, Cash Back came away from his rival from there, and he stayed on well to win impressively.
It was a very likeable performance from Cash Back, he was strong all the way to the line, and there could be a fair bit more to come. He only made his debut for Willie Mullins in March last year, when he won a maiden hurdle at Thurles, and this was just his second run over fences.
Mullins mentioned the Arkle at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival as a possible next step, and he would surely be a player if he lined up in that.
Zero Ten ran well too in defeat. He was beaten by 12 lengths in the end, but Emmet Mullins’ horse was really the only horse who could challenge the winner.
This was just his second chase, and it was his first run since he won his beginners’ chase at the Galway Festival in July, so he should progress from it. He jumped a little to his right too, so it may be that he will do better back on a right-handed track.
Tornado Flyer was disappointing, and it wasn’t surprising to learn afterwards that there were excuses. He was never travelling, Paul Townend never looked happy on him, and he pulled him up before the second last fence.
Examined afterwards at the request of the stewards, the Flemensfirth gelding was found to have a respiratory infection post-race.
He was pulled up in the Lawlor’s of Naas Hurdle on this day last year too, after which he didn’t reappear until the Punchestown Festival. Hopefully we will get to see him again before this year’s Punchestown Festival but, winner of his maiden hurdle over two and a half miles last season, he could benefit from a step back up to that type of trip over fences.
The Mullins double on the day was completed by Asterion Forlonge, who ran out an easy winner of the maiden hurdle under Paul Townend, despite the fact that he jumped a bit to his right late on.
Unbeaten now in three runs, a point-to-point, a bumper and now a maiden hurdle, his trainer said afterwards that he needed to step up in trip now.
It will be interesting to monitor his progress from here, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival were to come onto his radar now.
Elliott had a four-timer at Cork on Saturday, kicked off by Texard, who made most under Jack Kennedy to win the opening rated novice hurdle, although his task was rendered easier than it might have been when Carrigmoorna Pine departed at the second last flight.
The winner was paying a nice compliment to Captain Guinness, who won the Navan maiden hurdle in which Texard finished fourth last month, a race in which Belfast Banter – who was travelling in the manner of the likely winner when he came down at the second last flight in Saturday’s two-mile maiden hurdle – finished second.
Escaria Ten battled back well for Adrian Heskin after landing a little flat-footed over the final flight to win the three-mile maiden hurdle, and the Dick Lalor-trained Carrigeen Lotus made all under the trainer’s daughter Liz, running out an impressive winner of the mares’ bumper.
Out of a three-parts sister to Albert Bartlett Hurdle winner Minella Indo, the Jeremy mare almost sprang a 66/1 shock on her previous run at Fairyhouse last month when she was just run down by Castra Vetera.
She should continue to progress, and her breeding and her racing style suggests that she could improve again for a step up in trip.
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