Balko is in Champion form

BALKO DES FLOS will be strongly-fancied to build on his Galway Plate success in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase in Gowran Park today.

Henry de Bromhead has won this traditional autumn feature four times with the great Sizing Europe. And he looks set for success in the race with this progressive six-yearold, which will be ridden for Gigginstown House Stud by his Plate partner Davy Russell.

A winner of two chases, Balko Des Flos fell, when in front and travelling well, at the fourth last fence in the JLT Novice Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, a race won by Yorkhill.

Third to Woodland Opera in a competitive novice handicap at Punchestown, he did everything right in the Galway Plate, travelling well close to the pace and jumping soundly before staying on stoutly up the hill to score by four and three-quarter lengths.

Today, he renews rivalry with three horses he beat in Galway –

(second),

(fourth) and last year’s winner of this race

(11th). Admittedly, Balko Des Flos meets those rivals on less favourable terms in today’s conditions event. But he’s open to more improvement than any of his rivals and is a confident choice to make the transition from being a smart handicapper to a potential top-class performer.

Making a quick reappearance at Galway (on the Sunday), Shaneshill was turned over by stable-companion Arbre De Vie and isn’t a fully convincing performer over fences.

But he’s the pick of Ruby Walsh, ahead of Ballycasey, narrowly beaten by The Game Changer over hurdles in Listowel.

The chasing debut of the Gordon Elliott-trained

might prove one of the highlights on today’s supporting programme.

This five-year-old, winner of a bumper and maiden hurdle (in Navan), boasts placed Grade 1 form over hurdles, having finished second to Saturnas at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and third to Bacardys in the Deloitte on the same track in February.

If taking to this new discipline, Russell’s mount will be expected to see off Henry de Bromhead’s

built to be a chaser, and a trio of Mcmanus-owed contenders.