Jamie Codd celebrates aboard Envoi Allen after winning the Champion Bumper
Victories by A PLUS TARD and ENVOI ALLEN have provided a remarkable Cheltenham Festival double for Cheveley Park Stud, who sit top of the leading owners table at the halfway stage. This year is the first time that the National Hunt horses owned by Mr and Mrs Thompson have run in the famous red, white and blue silks of Cheveley Park Stud and it has been tremendous to see them return to the Winner’s Enclosure twice already.
The Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase (Listed Race) on Day One went the way of A PLUS TARD (Kapgarde), who is trained by Henry de Bromhead. The 5yo produced a perfect round of jumping under Rachael Blackmore before surging clear of his rivals to record a deeply impressive 16 length success.
ENVOI ALLEN (Muhtathir) was a leading hope coming into The Cheltenham Festival and he did not disappoint. After travelling strongly throughout, he hit the front at the head of the straight and repelled the challenge of Willie Mullins’ Blue Sari up the hill to record a memorable Grade 1 triumph in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
ALLAHO, winner of a Grade 3 on his most recent start, will be the final runner for Cheveley Park Stud at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. He lines up in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle on Friday and has an outside chance of completing an unprecedented treble.