Des Toi strong for his rivals

CLASSY Balko Des Flos sets the standard in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase, highlight in Gowran Park today.

Winner of the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March, the Henry de Bromhead-trained seven-year-old will be making his seasonal debut on his preferred good ground and, with Rachael Blackmore on board for the first time, he should prove tough to beat in a race his trainer won three times with Sizing Europe.

Winner of the Galway Plate, off a mark of 146, 14 months ago, Balko was turned over by

here last year before competing at a high level last winter, when he finished a creditable second to Road To Respect in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase, formerly the Lexus in mid-season.

His finest hour came at Cheltenham in March when he readily brushed aside prolific winner Un De Sceaux in the Ryanair.

Balko triumphed by four and a half lengths that day, a performance which saw his rating rise to 169.

The selection flopped on his final start of last season, finishing a distant fourth behind Politologue in the JLT Melling Chase at Aintree when, presumably, his long season took its toll.

Back after his summer break and reportedly in good fettle, Balko Des Flos must concede weight to his 10 rivals, including A Toi Phil.

Chief threat should be Enda Bolger’s

a five-time chase winner, successful off a favourable hurdle mark of 131 in Listowel last time. But he has 8lb to find on Balko on official figures.

On the supporting card, the Gordon Elliott-trained

is a confident, if short-priced, nap to land the Connolly’s Red Mills EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle.

Winner of a point-topoint in Dromahane, this fellow won bumpers at Punchestown and Down Royal before finishing a solid sixth to Relegate in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in Cheltenham and then filling fifth spot behind Tornado Flyer in the Grade 1 bumper at the Punchestown Festival.

The French-bred five-year-old looks an exciting hurdling recruit and should have little difficulty in opening his account over timber today.

Elliott also holds the key to the opening Golf Membership 2019 3-Y-0 Hurdle, in which he runs both and

Preference is for Davy Russell’s mount

successful at Worcester for Richard Fahey before joining Elliott and scoring on his first start for his new handler at Listowel, beating subsequent winner Chica Buena comfortably.

Stable-companion Elysian Plains, third on his hurdling bow at Roscommon, scored in Killarney when adopting a free-running style to beat another Elliott juvenile Smiling Eliza.