Faultless Envoi Allen completes perfect 10

Envoi Allen, who has already won the Champion Bumper and Ballymore Hurdle at Cheltenham, maintained his unbeaten record with an impressive victory in the Baroneracing.com Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

The six-year-old, who is now 10 wins from 10 starts under rules, was joined at the second by the runner-up Assemble but Jack Kennedy barely had to ask him to draw eight and a half lengths clear.

His jumping, as it had been on his Down Royal debut, looked outstanding and Gordon Elliott’s biggest problem may be finding a horse in Ireland who can give him the semblance of a race before he sets sail for Cheltenham in March.

Elliott said: “A clear round was the number one priority and Jack said he was foot perfect. Once he gave him a squeeze from the back for the second last it was all over. He hasn’t been killed coming here and he’s had a good blow so there’s plenty of improvement to come. When he gets into a real race – that’s when you’ll see the real horse.”

He added: “We’ll probably skip Christmas and go to Punchestown in January. He has the pace for two miles but he’ll stay in his own division and go for the Marsh Novice Chase at Cheltenham.”

A while later Henry de Bromhead’s terrific mare Honeysuckle also extended her unbeaten career to nine wins but, having her first start of the season, she was all out to beat Ronald Pump and Beacon Edge in a sprint finish to the Baroneracing.com Hatton’s Grace Hurdle for the second year in succession.

“She’s brilliant,” said de Bromhead. “Rachael [Blackmore] said they really sprinted from the second last. She took a blow at the third last so she’ll come on for the run. They were hard at it at the last and she toughed it out not quite how her odds suggested (4-11 f). We’re hoping to run in the Irish Champion Hurdle next.”