Noel Fehily looks ahead to Cheltenham as Love Envoi bids to upset the odds

THE countdown to the Cheltenham Festival is fast approaching which can also be a nervous time for owners, trainers, and jockeys. 

Former jockey Noel Fehily was an outstanding rider and now runs a hugely successful racing club. Love Envoi has been the flag bearer for the club, winning the mares novice hurdle in 2022 and finishing second to Honeysuckle in a titanic battle at last year’s festival. 

Fehily has teamed up with another Cork man Johnny Burke to ride the mare and they have enjoyed plenty of success this season. 

Despite running slightly below par this season the former jockey believes Love Envoi will raise her game sufficiently for another crack at the Mares Hurdle on the opening day of the festival.

“Everything for Love Envoi has been geared towards the big day and I think she actually responds to the atmosphere and the massive crowds,"

Fehily said. "Her trainer Harry Fry has always peaked the horses for the big day and that is only a few weeks away now. 

"Finishing second last year was probably the toughest day I’ve ever had racing, but Honeysuckle was a deserving winner on the day. 

"It looks a very strong race this year and the Willie Mullins team look good, particularly the favourite Lossiemouth. But our horse will run a big race and Johnny Burke gets on so well with her and he is having a brilliant season up to now. 

I’ve always thought Johnny was a top-class rider and he is rock solid on any horse, and we are delighted to have him on board.” 

Having retired from the saddle Noel Fehily weighed up his options and spotted an opening for a racing club. 

He teamed up with another retired jockey David Crosse and they formed the Noel Fehily Racing Club. It has gone from strength to strength and the club's racing colours can be seen on a very frequent basis. 

“When I finished riding I wanted to do something within the racing industry, so we went down the route of setting up this club. 

"There is plenty of work involved with it and we now have up to 32 horses in training spread out to 16 different trainers. 

"Having winners is the name of the game and each horse has a different set of owners. Our horses are running well this season, so we are having a good run at it. 

"Obviously, our best chance of a winner will be Love Envoi and we will have a few other runners in the handicaps. Helnwein is trained by Alan King and will run in the Supreme which gets the Cheltenham Festival underway. 

"The Irish look to have a very strong hand in that. Crambo is a horse we bred, and Johnny Burke will ride him in the Stayers Hurdle. He won a Graded race the last day and looks an improving type."

FANTASTIC

While the Irish have been dominating the Cheltenham Festival recently it is up to the others to try and catch up. 

”It’s a brilliant time if you are Willie Mullins who is the best trainer of national hunt horses. 

"He is just fantastic at sourcing horses and has a brilliant team around him. He has a very strong team coming over this year and I have nothing but admiration for him.”