Racing Post

Envoi’s special status to remain after the Durkan

IT IS another Grade 1 weekend in Ireland with the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase (2.00) on Sunday looking a potential barn burner.

Ten runners rated 160 or higher have stood their ground but with Willie Mullins responsible for seven of those, on the same weekend of the Hilly Way at Cork and Tingle Creek at Sandown, it is tricky to preempt who is going to run where. A couple of horses entered also have the option of the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon and Many Clouds at Aintree.

This is Envoi Allen’s sole engagement of the week, though, and it would be a surprise if he didn’t show up here. His sense of invincibility was lost at the Cheltenham Festival when he fell after a sloppy mistake at the fourth in the Marsh and he injured himself when running next time at Punchestown. He was rightly pulled up.

Clearly that wasn’t the real Envoi Allen and the summer off did him the world of good as he returned with a 22-length victory in a Grade 2 at Down Royal.

Admittedly he did not defeat a rival of note there, but he couldn’t have been more visually impressive and his RPRof165wasa joint-career best.

There is no doubt Envoi Allen could still be the superstar we once expected and he has the advantage of race fitness on his side, whereas each of the

Mullins runners have yet to be seen this season.

Crowns Major interests me earlier on the card in the 2m rated novice hurdle (12.25).

Rated 97 on the Flat, Crowns Major made the perfect start to hurdling at Cork in October in a decent little race. He looked as if he had the measure of fellow highly rated Flat runner Mosala when that one fell at the second-last and his opening mark of 128 could prove generous.

Crowns Major was audaciously entered in last weekend’s Grade 1 Royal Bond Novices’ Hurdle before declarations but bypassed that contest in favour of this one.

This could be another decent piece of placing from trainer Emmet Mullins before Crowns Major steps up in grade. He won his bumper on his

sole try here in last season’s Punchestown festival and should go close.

This is an important weekend for Willie Mullins and Burning Victory looks a standout runner for the trainer at Navan on Saturday in the 3m½f handicap hurdle (1.08).

Burning Victory capitalised on a final-flight fall from Goshen to capture the 2020 Triumph Hurdle on just her second start for the stable and has only raced over hurdles twice since.

The mare has established herself as a strong stayer on the Flat. She won a 2m1f French handicap in June and ran a blinder when second to Buzz over 2m2f in the Cesarewitch on her last start.

Burning Victory was eight and a half lengths clear of the third there and was attempting to give Buzz, among the favourites for this season’s Stayers’ Hurdle, 2lb.

That was a brilliant effort from Burning Victory and were the pair to meet in a handicap hurdle she would receive 12lb from Buzz.

Aside from finishing down the field in the 2m4f Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown following a 414-day break, Burning Victory is yet to race over further than 2m1f over hurdles.

There must be much more to come from her as she steps up in trip off a tempting mark of 143.

The five-year-old is not the slickest of jumpers but has time on her side to improve it and a slower pace over a much longer distance should help her on that score.

She is available at 12-1 for the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown in December and would need to be going close in this to

justify that price.

THE VIEW FROM IRELAND

en-ie

2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

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