Cheveley Park dream big with Envoi Allen and Ferny Hollow

James Boyle

Published: April 12, 2020

Having developed an interest in racing whilst in college some years ago, James has worked in many areas of the industry, including a stint hiding his face on radio! From 2008 until 2017, he ran a successful tipping service and has had shares in numerous horses including the wonderful Fast Shot. Unsurprisingly given some of the horses he has bought shares in, his punting passions lie in sprint handicaps on both the turf and All-Weather surfaces!

The Cheveley Park Stud team are still beaming with excitement after Envoi Allen’s impressive win at the Cheltenham Festival and are optimistic that fellow festival scorer Ferny Hollow can follow a similar path.

Envoi Allen was the star of the novice hurdle division and extended his unbeaten record to eight on the racecourse with a highly impressive win in the Ballymore.

But a few hours later Ferny Hollow emerged as another leading prospect in the red, white and blue silks – charging home under Paul Townend to win the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in impressive style. His win that day was rated 6lb higher on Racing Post Ratings than the victory of Envoi Allen when landing the bumper in 2019.

The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old is antepost favourite for next year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and his connections have high hopes he can become a leading force over hurdles.

Cheveley Park’s managing director Chris Richardson told Weatherbys: “Ferny Hollow was very impressive in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, given a great ride by Paul Townend.

“We knew he was one of those horses who just wanted be dropped out, switched off and kidded along, and he couldn’t have won more impressively in the circumstances. He’s a beautiful horse and Willie [Mullins] has always rated him very highly.”

No decision has been made yet regarding future plans for Envoi Allen. The Gordon Elliott-trained runner could be sent novice chasing or stay over hurdles.

“Envoi Allen is quite an intelligent horse and he only does enough,” Richardson added. “He looks after himself and keeps impressing. On the other hand, Ferny Hollow has had to be cajoled somewhat but he’s mentally much sharper now and he’s only five so there’s still plenty to come.

“On the Flat we dream of having an Enable or a Stradivarius, and people are talking of Envoi Allen in the same sort of terms. He has already acquired a huge following, and he’s only six, so there should be lots to look forward to. Ferny Hollow might be of similar calibre.”

Cheveley Park had their first jumps winner in August 2018 and have enjoyed a rapid rise to become a powerful force in the National Hunt game, with six top-level winners recorded already in Britain and Ireland.

Richardson added: “We have to pinch ourselves at having two horses [Envoi Allen and Ferny Hollow] of that calibre, not to mention A Plus Tard, Allaho and the others. Owners dream of just having a runner at Cheltenham, so for a relatively small jumps operation like ours – we are not like JP or Gigginstown – to have two winners, two years running, has been very exciting.”