Ryanair Chase report and replay: Envoi Allen first class in Ryanair

The Cheveley Park-owned 13/2 chance was last seen finishing a 51-length seventh to Bravemansgame in the King George but he bounced back to winning form dropped in trip to 2m5f.

Shishkin was sent off the even-money favourite but he looked lethargic at the start and made some serious errors before his class saw him motor into second up the hill.

Hitman ran a big race for Paul Nicholls in third, beaten just a neck by Shishkin.

De Bromhead said: “It’s great for the Thompsons (Cheveley Park Stud) as they are great supporters of ours and the industry. It’s just brilliant “I kept saying to Richard (Thompson) that he is as good as he was before he went to Kempton, I was so happy with him before the King George, we really fancied him, but like a few of ours who went to England in the first half of the season, he just never showed up. A Plus Tard (Betfair Chase) and Arctic Bresil (Ladbrokes Trophy) just never ran their races.

“Nothing came to light, A Plus Tard had obvious reasons but not the other two. They were all beaten after four fences. I thought it might have been water and various other bits but anyway we left no stone and whatever we did seems to be working again.

“I was really happy the whole race, but there was a chance he was doing too much. He was jumping so well. Rachael felt early on he might have been doing too much, but then he settled. He’s a class horse. Everyone was delighted with him and I was hoping he would put his best foot forward and he did.”

A Plus Tard defends his Gold Cup crown on Friday in the same colours, and De Bromhead added: “You’d have to be a little more confident after that, but they are all individuals. The amount of people, our friends and family who have travelled over, and Michael O’Leary and Ryanair naming the race (Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) in honour of Jack (de Bromhead), makes this week very special.”

All eyes now on A Plus Tard in the Gold Cup

Blackmore 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 and I was able to fill him up three out.

“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. Ryanair are so kind to name their mares’ novices’ hurdle after Jack (who tragically died in a pony racing accident), such a kind gesture by them, so it is great to be able to win their race today. I actually got a nice clear passage – I didn’t find problems anywhere.”

She went on: “He was so disappointing the last day – going to Kempton we were really happy with him, and he was equally as good coming here today, so we were hoping the last day, whatever was wrong, he just didn’t perform, but we’ve been really happy with him all season. It’s a great team effort down there in Knockeen and it’s been a tough year for everyone, but everyone in the yard is a properly good grafter and it’s great to be associated with them. A Plus Tard hasn’t had the greatest preparation coming into the Gold Cup, but he’s in great form and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Was the Gold Cup the right race for Shishkin?

Nicky Henderson was left mulling over whether he made the right decision to run Shishkin in the Ryanair Chase rather than the Cheltenham Gold Cup after he stayed on to finish second to Envoi Allen.

The trainer: “He wasn’t really travelling like we hoped he would. Early on, he wasn’t looking that happy about it, but he’s done bloody well to finish where he has. Maybe I should have listened to those people who said we should have gone three and a quarter (mile, in the Gold Cup) – it looked as if that’s what he wanted.”

Asked to put his finger on why Shishkin ran so inconsistently, Henderson added: “I don’t know, it’s unlike him to go left like that – and he was going markedly left. He ran at Ascot last time and if you go left round Ascot, you finish up in Windsor Castle and that’s that! He schooled on Monday and you’ve never seen a horse jump five fences straighter and quicker, so we’ll have to take him apart and tighten a few nuts and bolts.

“He made one bad mistake coming down the hill, but look at how well he’s finished. I was a bit worried over the first two fences because he looked outpaced again, but he got back there – he’s determined if nothing else. Envoi Allen was going to be the next coming when he was young and they’ve done very well, they’ve got him back to his very best. You could say it came too soon after Ascot for us, it was a bit of a rush but I certainly want to run him in four weeks’ time over three miles at Aintree – that’s the obvious thing to do.”

De Boinville added: “It never really went right from when the tapes went up. Even down at the start he was curling up on me a bit and sitting back on his haunches a bit,” said the jockey. Over the first two fences he wasn’t taking me anywhere, whereas at Ascot I was able to travel and jump and dictate where I wanted to be. This time I was pushed here there and everywhere.

“He was hanging a bit left and wasn’t the same horse that we saw at Ascot, but we know what he can do, so we’ll get him home and get him absolutely spot-on, and I’m sure he’ll be going three miles at Aintree. Over the first two fences it did feel a bit like last year and I was thinking, ‘Oh God’, but all credit to the horse – he’s very genuine, he made an error down the hill and has managed to get back for second when he had every right to be pulled up or tailed off. We know what he can do on his good days and there’ll be plenty more good days to come.”

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