No Allaho? No problem for the red, white and blue of Richard Thompson’s Cheveley Park Stud. They won their third Ryanair Chase in a row courtesy of Envoi Allen, who is deadly on a going day, and like lots of his stablemates this week, was produced in superb form by Henry de Bromhead.

The Waterford trainer was securing his 20th Festival winner here, his third of the week, and once again received a rapturous applause in the winner’s enclosure, on the day the memory of his son Jack was honoured in the race title of the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Envoi Allen was recording his third Festival success after wins in the Champion Bumper and Ballymore for Gordon Elliott, and Rachael Blackmore was happy for most of the journey. He did race a little keenly in the very early stages but nothing looked to be travelling as comfortable in the second half of the race.

The pair took it up from French Dynamite in the straight and stayed on strongly from the running-on Shishkin.

“It is brilliant for the Thompsons and I’m delighted for them as they are great supporters of ours and the industry,” de Bromhead said. “It is just brilliant. I kept saying it to Richard (Thompson) that he was as good as he was before going to Kempton (for the King George). I was really happy with him but he just never showed up.

“He was in good form at home I was hoping he would put his best foot forward and he duly did. We’ve tried to leave no stone unturned but whatever we are doing now seems to be working which is great.

“The amount of people that have travelled over, friends and family, that have come over for Jack (de Bromhead)’s race, is great and what Michael O’Leary and Ryanair have done for us is incredible. Everyone has looked after us so well. I’d say most of the people up there are my friends and family.”

Blackmore, recording her 14th Festival win, said: “He travelled and jumped really well today. I thought early on he was in my hands for quite a while - it just took me a while to settle him - but then he switched off going past the stands and he was lovely then, he was lobbing away.

“He put in a phenomenal performance, but I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone. He’s a supremely talented horse and it’s fantastic that Henry got the day out of him today.”

Agenda

Punchestown could be on the agenda for Envoi Allen but it’s worth noting that he was a fresh horse for this success, and it has been a long time since he put together two really good performances.

In contrast to the way he travelled here, Shishkin never looked to be 100%, and the writing was on the wall for the favourite when he nearly lost Nico de Boinville through a bad error at the third last.

That said, he stayed on strongly to take second from Hitman on the run-in, and it’s not reaching to suggest he still could have won without that blunder. He will be of significant interest if given a chance at three miles, which his rider suggested will likely happen at Aintree.