Henry De Bromhead reveals he has ‘unfinished business’ in the King George as superstar Envoi Allen gets better of Hewick
HENRY DE BROMHEAD revealed he had ‘unfinished business’ in the King George after Envoi Allen’s victory at Down Royal.
The ten-year-old got the better of last year’s fairytale King George VI winner Hewick in the Grade 1 Ladbroke’s Champion Chase, adding an ninth Grade 1 to his name.
The pair battled it out to the line in a brilliant spectacle, leaving Gordon Elliott’s 8-11 favourite Gerri Colombe trailing thirteen lengths behind.
A lucky Darragh O’Keeffe got the ride as regular jock Racheal Blackmore remains on the sidelines after sustaining a neck injury in a fall at Downpatrick at the end of September.
The King George VI Chase on Boxing Day is an itch de Bromhead – who has a Grand National, two Cheltenham Gold Cups and two Champion Hurdles under his belt – has a has yet to scratch.
Envoi Allen, who was one of the Cheveley Park horses dramatically moved from Elliott’s yard in 2021, finished a whopping 51 lengths behind Bravemansgame in the Kempton contest in 2022.
But de Bromhead, 52, admitted he could not keep the elusive Boxing Day showpiece from his mind.
THE SUN RACING MEMBERS ENCLOSURE
The only place to get Templegate’s tips first – and at the best prices – is by joining Sun Racing’s brilliant Members Enclosure.
Sign up now for just £1* to be part of racing’s best winning team and get…
- Four free racing tickets, four times a year – worth £300
- Templegate’s daily tips at the BEST prices before anyone else
- Tomorrow’s copy of The Favourite at 9pm today
- Exclusive insights from top trainer Ben Pauling
- VIP competitions from Racing Breaks each month
- New customer offer with Coral
Become a member today for just £1*
*For the first month then £3 per month thereafter.
18+ Ts and Cs apply. First month membership £1, then £3 per month unless you cancel at least 7 days before your next billing date. For more information contact help@thesun.co.uk
He said: “He’s 10 now, so we’ll see. That King George keeps coming back into my head, I feel we have unfinished business there.
“I need to speak to Cheveley Park and see what everyone would like to do.
“He was going to run at Christmas [in the Savills Chase last year], I think the ground just went very testing in Leopardstown.”
“It was brilliant and he is just a class horse. Everyone at home has done such a great job.
“Obviously, it is a shame for Rachael, but delighted for Darragh, he gave him a super ride and he has really stepped up. Fair play to him, he is taking his opportunities.
“Cheveley Park [Stud, owners] are tremendous supporters of ours and the game, so delighted for them as well.”
When asked if this could have been the best performance of his three runs in this race, De Bromhead said: “Possibly, fair point. He was brilliant and jumped great. He travelled so well.
“Probably better ground than last year I would have said as well. That would have helped us.
“I thought when we got under the last, we were going to get done again, but he battled really well. I must say I thought Darragh was brilliant on him.”
Envoi Allen is currently hovering around 16-1 for the King George, a long way behind hot favourite Il Est Francais, who is 7-2.
Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow and Willie Mullins’ Fact To File are second and third favourite respectively, with Hewick, Jonbon and Gaelic Warrior all in the mix below that.
FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.