Love Envoi Set for Sandown Return after Impressive Performance

The highly anticipated return of Love Envoi is on the horizon, following her strong second-place finish in the relocated Fighting Fifth race at Sandown. The talented seven-year-old mare had been absent from the track for an impressive 224 days after sustaining an injury during her last run at Punchestown.

Prior to her setback, Love Envoi enjoyed a successful campaign with two wins at Sandown. Her only defeat came when she faced off against the formidable Honeysuckle in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival.

The lead-up to the Fighting Fifth was filled with surprises as the race was moved from Newcastle to Sandown and saw leading hurdler Constitution Hill withdraw from contention. With Nicky Henderson’s champion out of the lineup, Love Envoi started as a strong contender at odds of 6-4.

Under trainer Harry Fry’s guidance, Love Envoi initially held back in last place and struggled with her jumping early on. However, as the race progressed, she showcased resilience and made a late surge to claim second place behind Hughie Morrison’s Not So Sleepy who triumphed by eight lengths as a surprise 9-1 winner.

Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates owns Love Envoi, and former jockey Noel Fehily expressed satisfaction with her performance despite her extended break from racing. Reflecting on their hurdles during the competition, he mentioned that “she warmed up into it” after struggling initially but commended her overall effort.

Fehily dismissed any concerns about the ground conditions affecting Love Envoi’s performance, stating that he would be surprised if it played a significant role. He also revealed that trainer Harry Fry had mentioned that she was just about ready to start and expects her to improve significantly after this race.

Love Envoi Targets Sandown’s Listed Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Mares’ Hurdle

A notable victory for Love Envoi last season included winning the Listed Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Mares’ Hurdle at Sandown in early January. Fehily confirmed their plan to target this prestigious event once again, as all roads currently lead back to this renowned racecourse.

Insurrection Impresses despite Second-Place Finish

In addition to Love Envoi’s impressive performance at the meeting, another runner-up from the Fehily syndicate caught attention. The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding Insurrection displayed great potential in the Grade Two Betfair Beacons Winter Novices’ Hurdle. Although he ultimately finished second behind Dan Skelton’s Deafening Silence, his strong showing suggested promising prospects for future races.

Fehily expressed satisfaction with Insurrection’s effort and highlighted his exceptional jumping ability throughout the race. While they have yet to finalize any post-race plans, Fehily indicated that they will take some time before making decisions regarding future races but emphasized looking towards events after Christmas and New Year.