hard to emulate, and the Thompson Family instead relied on the Henry de Bromhead-trained Envoi Allen. He arrived as a dual Festival winner in his own right, having won the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in 2019 and the Ballymore Hurdle in 2020. Things hadn’t always gone to plan since for Envoi Allen, struggling in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park over Christmas, but he roared back to his very best here for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore, showing the perfect combination of style and grit for a two-and-three- quarter-length success. It was an emotional moment for trainer Henry de Bromhead, who picked up Grade One honours on the day his late son Jack was honoured in the Grade Two Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle by sponsor Ryanair. He said: “It is brilliant for the Thompsons and I’m delighted for them as they are great supporters of ours and the industry. I said to Richard [Thompson] that he was as good as he was before going to Kempton. “I was hoping he would put his best foot forward and he duly did. Whatever we are doing now seems to be working, which is great. “The amount of people that have travelled over for Jack’s race is great and what Michael O’Leary and Ryanair have done for us is incredible. Everyone has looked after us so well.” Co-headlining the card is the Grade One Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle, a race that requires an equal mix of grit and class if you are to prevail. Before last season’s race, every single winner of the race this century had been between the ages of six and nine, but this would be the year of the veteran. Enter the Gordon Elliott-trained Sire Du Berlais, a dual winner of the Pertemps Final in 2019 and 2020, who plenty felt had left his best days firmly behind him on his 29th career start. However, like many of us, the 11-year- old seems to come alive at the Home of Jump Racing, and having kept pace with the leaders coming into the home straight, he showed courage by the
“The Grade One Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle requires grit and class”
bucket-load to fly up the hill and prove that age is just a number. And a delighted Elliott admitted in the aftermath that he certainly wasn’t expecting the performance from his unconsidered 33-1 outsider. He said: “Of course, it is a surprise, but Sire Du Berlais can do that; he’s either first or last, but he’s well able. In fairness to him, he’s very tough. “Mark [Walsh] gave him a brilliant ride. It’s great to win the race – we
were short-headed in a Grade One yesterday, so it’s great to win. “We couldn’t get him qualified for the Pertemps Final, but it worked out! I didn’t even think about winning this with him – I thought I was going to win it with the other horse [Teahupoo]!” Sire Du Berlais would go on to follow up that performance with victory in the Grade One Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree the following month, so who knows, he may be back for more next year.
56 Kalendar
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