Noel Fehily eyeing Sandown raid with Love Envoi and Tahmuras

The Noel Fehily Racing team could be in for another big day at Sandown next month with Tolworth Hurdle contender Tahmuras set to be joined by Cheltenham Festival heroine Love Envoi.

The Harry Fry-trained Love Envoi provided her owners with a day they will never forget at Prestbury Park in March when claiming Festival glory in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

She went on to finish second to Brandy Love in a Grade One at Fairyhouse and made a successful return to action in a handicap hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

Cheltenham in March for the Mares’ Hurdle is the ultimate target for Love Envoi, but next on her agenda is a return to Sandown for the Listed Unibet Anne Boleyn Mares’ Hurdle on January 7.

Fehily said: “We were over the moon with her on Saturday. It was her first time in against the boys and she was carrying plenty of weight, so it was a good performance I thought.

“I’m not sure it was a career-best, but I think it was probably on a par with her Cheltenham run.

“There’s a mares’ Listed hurdle on Tolworth Hurdle day, so that will be next, and the hope after that then is to get back to Cheltenham in March in one piece – that’s everyone’s dream.”

Tahmuras, trained by Paul Nicholls, earned himself a shot at Grade One glory in the Tolworth itself by extending his unbeaten record over hurdles to two in Listed company at Haydock last month.

Bought for £68,000 after landing an Irish point-to-point, the five-year-old has also won a Wincanton bumper and a maiden hurdle at Chepstow and Fehily is looking forward to seeing him take the next step up the ladder.

He added: “That (Tolworth) is the plan with him. All has gone smoothly since Haydock, I was delighted with the way he went through the race that day and the further he went the better he seemed to get.

“I think Sandown should suit him well – you’d like to think he’ll be coming home well anyway.”