Envoi Allen is getting very predictable. He just wins races. Not only that, his races all look the same. He looms up, hits the front and maintains a small but comfortable advantage. His average winning distance prior to this weekend was three and a quarter lengths and yesterday, in the Grade 1 Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle, he won by three and a half. He’s not one to pull clear by 10 lengths. He just gets the job done and he is all the more reliable for that style of running.

Yesterday was his first start over two and a half miles and he is a hot favourite for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle now, but there are a couple of questions to answer first. Will he run again? And will connections be tempted by another race - go for the Champion Hurdle or the more conventional two-mile option of the Supreme Novice Hurdle.