CRO TO FLY FOR ELLIOTT

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3

1 SAMCRO

2 BLACK OP

3 VISION DES FLOS

SAMCRO is expected to live up to the hype and remain unbeaten.

Great things have been expected of him since being bought for £335,000 at Aintree in April 2016, and Samcro hasn’t let anyone down.

The three-time bumper winner justified odds of 1-5 at Punchestown in October on his hurdles debut and moved up to Grade 3 level for a 12-length victory at Navan the following month.

Samcro came through his biggest test yet with flying colours when impressively powering clear of Duc Des Genievres in the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle over two miles at Leopardstown last month.

This two mile, five-furlong trip won’t be an issue for the Gordon Elliott six-year-old, and there will be long faces among the Irish contingent if Samcro doesn’t go in again. Black Op, Next Destination Vision Des Flos and look the most likely candidates to fight out the minor medals.