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Sandown latest: impressive Love Envoi delivers again
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 21 Dec 2023
Love Envoi was an ultra-impressive winner of the Listed Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Mares’ Hurdle at Sandown and propelled herself towards the head of the market for the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The Harry Fry-trained seven-year-old travelled supremely well throughout in the two-and-a-half-mile contest and pulled herself to the front before the final turn.
Although tracked by last year’s winner Martello Sky, who was conceding 1lb, the 30-100 favourite drew readily clear. It was her eighth win in nine over hurdles, her sole loss coming in the Mares’ Hurdle at Fairyhouse in April.
After her 13-length victory under Jonathan Burke, the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates-owned Love Envoi received quotes of 4-1 (from 7-1) from Paddy Power for the Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival meeting, where she could take on the likes of Marie’s Rock, Epatante and even Honeysuckle.
But she has already shown a liking for the Prestbury Park track, having landed the Grade Two Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival meeting.
Former jockey and syndicate manager Fehily said: “She’s growing up all the time and Johnny said he was more impressed with her today than ever before.
“I was fairly confident watching his body language that he was in total control, but watching them when they are odds-on is a lot more nerve-wracking than riding them, that’s for sure.
“We shall have a chat with Harry as there’s a race at Warwick, but it wouldn’t bother me if she went straight to the Festival. Either way we are fairly relaxed.
“When David Crosse and I set up this syndicate, we hoped to have horses for Saturdays and not just to run across the country, but when she won at Cheltenham it was a dream come true.”
Love Envoi laid down a serious marker for The Cheltenham Festival after producing what connections hailed as her most ‘professional performance’ in the Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Mares’ Hurdle at Sandown Park today.
After winning a handicap at the track on her seasonal return 35 days ago, the Harry Fry-trained seven year old made light work of her opponents stepped back up to Listed company to make it seven wins from eight starts under Rules.
Sent off the 30-100 Favourite to follow her latest success up there was never a moments worry for supporters of the odds-on favourite who breezed to the front after the third last under Johnny Burke.
Although Martello Sky attempted to go with Love Envoi, who struck gold at last year’s Festival in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, she had no answer to the daughter of Westerner with 13 lengths separating the pair at the line.
Following the race Love Envoi, who is owned by Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates, was trimmed from 7-1 into 4-1 for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival by both Betfair and Paddy Power.
Fehily said: “It probably gets harder to watch her every time especially when she is odds on. It was probably her most professional performance today. She switched off really well and wasn’t as keen as she was in some of her other runs.
“I think she is growing up all the time and Johnny (Burke) seemed more impressed with her today than he has been I think. She is getting more professional as she goes along.
“I was fairly confident watching Johnny’s body language that he was in control of the race and I hoped that was the case.
“You would love to ride an easy winner like that but I’m quite happy watching. Johnny is top class and I love watching lads like that. I’ve been there and done it and I’m quite happy to watch the lads do it now.”
Following the race Fehily hinted that Love Envoi could take in the Listed Warwick Mares’ Hurdle at Warwick on February 11th ahead of a second outing at The Cheltenham Festival.
Fehily added: “Harry Fry is not here today and we will have a chat with him. There is a race at Warwick so there is a possibility she could pitch up there in between now and Cheltenham.
“She could go there or she could go straight to Cheltenham. We will see what Harry feels and how she comes out of the race then make a plan. Either way I’m fairly relaxed.
“I know how hard it is to get a horse to win at Cheltenham and for her to win at Cheltenham in our first season was unbelievable. She is still improving hopefully and we will go back there with another fighting chance. For the syndicate it is brilliant.”
Xcitations strikes with career best
Pam Sly intends to do some ‘pot hunting’ with Xcitations, who produced a career-best display to run out a convincing winner of the Unibet Horserace Betting Operator Of The Year Handicap Chase.
The progressive eight year old followed up his recent victory at Doncaster, which had been boosted less than 30 minutes earlier by the runner-up Elixir De Nutz scoring at Wincanton, with a fine display of jumping under Jack Andrews.
Taking command of matters between the final two fences the 7-1 chance, who was as big as 16-1 this morning, was not for catching under Andrews with the pair bounding clear up the run in to score by nine lengths.
Although Xcitations was made a 25-1 chance for the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase at The Cheltenham Festival by both Sky Bet and William Hill, the Cambridgeshire-based handler admitted it might be off the agenda.
Sly, who also bred and part-owns the winner, said: “He is a nice horse. I’ve always thought he is a nice horse. Last season he won two but he was always lame after he ran.
“I kept saying it was in his foot and we kept X-raying his foot from every angle but there was nothing. He came sound, would win, then be lame again. It wasn’t until his third lot of X-rays that we found he had a fracture of the pedal bone and he won twice with it.
“He is a very brave horse but he is alright now and everything is well. I couldn’t believe he was 16-1 and wasn’t going to beat anything. I don’t know why they thought he wasn’t any good.
“I’m not too keen on going to Cheltenham. I’ve not got anything in mind. I’m sure we can do a lot of pot hunting in between.”
Lydia Richards savours Saturday winner
Trainer Lydia Richards might only have nine horses in training but she enjoyed a moment centre stage after Certainly Red demonstrated that stamina is his forte when out staying his rivals to collect the Read Nicky Henderson’s Unibet Blog Handicap Chase.
Dropped back in trip having scored over three miles at Kempton Park last time out the nine year old, despite wandering left after the last, pulled out plenty once straightened up to score by six and a half lengths in the hands of Marc Goldstein.
Richards said of the successful 9-1 chance: “That is nice (having a Saturday winner) as it hasn’t happened for a while. I thought two miles four would be okay today as it was very soft but if it was quicker they would have beaten him but it went our way this morning with the rain.
“He has got two older brothers that won nine races each so he is trying to get up there with them so let’s hope he does. If you walk down there and look up that hill it is some hill and I know he will stay beyond three miles so he was going to stay on.
“He has done it really well and I’m very proud of him. He likes a bit of bounce in the ground but he is very genuine and always tries his best it didn’t matter.”
I Have A Voice surprises in opener
Nigel Hawke described his link up with Classic-winning trainer Jim Bolger as priceless after I Have A Voice (17-2) got his career back on track when springing a surprise in the opening Unibet Extra Places Every Day Juvenile Hurdle.
All eyes before the race were on 4-11 Favourite Bo Zenith who was making his debut for Gary Moore, however the odds-on favourite could only finish third behind the gelded son of Vocalised who made all to defeat Mombasa by 17 lengths under Tom Buckley.
Hawke said: “We were taking a punt as there were a lot of big talking horses in that race. I forget what we won by at Southwell and what we beat but we won by a distance.
“Basically at Wetherby we didn’t quite go quick enough - it was as simple as that.
“One thing we knew was that he was fit and jumps and he likes the ground so we took full advantage of things and you have seen what he did. If I’m honest I didn’t think we had gone quick enough, but you don’t know the pace he is going.
“Today was his Gold Cup and we had to see what happened today. We will have a look see what comes about. We would love to go to Cheltenham but he has got to come up a few pounds but would he get the run of the race at Cheltenham, probably not.
“The majority of our juvenile’s come from Jim Bolger’s. We would pick up eight or 10 from him each year. It absolute priceless having a relationship like that.”
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