TRAINED originally by Colin Bowe, Envoi Allen was successful in a point-to-point at Ballinaboola by an eye-catching 10 lengths and was whisked away to the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham February Sale. There he fell to Tom Malone’s winning bid of £400,000 and afterwards the agent revealed that he was bought for David and Patricia Thompson of Cheveley Park Stud and was to be trained in Ireland by Gordon Elliott.

The four-year-old son of Muhtathir (Elmaamul) raced for Walter Connors. He is the first foal for his Saint Des Saints (Cadoudal) dam Reaction and she won a couple of times over jumps in France as a five-year-old for trainer Emmanuel Clayeux. She raced in his name too, although she was bred by Bruno Vagne, also the breeder of Envoi Allen.