Trainer Gordon Elliott says Envoi Allen is in good shape as he prepares to return to action at Down Royal on Friday afternoon.
The six-year-old was last in action at the Cheltenham Festival when he produced a fine display to win the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, ahead of Elliott’s other runner Easywork.
Jockey Jack Kennedy will partner Envoi Allen for his debut over fences under rules in the Advance NI Scaffolding Beginners Chase.
After eight wins from eight starts, the pressure is on Envoi Allen this week, but Eliott says he is ready for his latest challenge.
He told reporters: “He’s just a very laid-back horse who I’m lucky to have.
“He’s schooled well. The ground has been good enough, so we haven’t done an awful lot of schooling with him, but he came from Colin Bowe’s and will have done an awful lot of schooling as a young horse – it’s just a case of getting his eye back in and refreshing him.
“There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and Cheltenham next March, and he probably is going to get beat some day – hopefully not.”
