EARLY September is not the time of year you expect to be writing about top class chasers.

But with the first autumn Sunday at Longchamp a relatively low key affair, Balthazar King, last season’s Cheltenham Festival Cross-Country winner and Aintree Grand National runner-up, deserves top billing in France last week after a fine victory at Craon.

Trained in England by Philip Hobbs, Balthazar King came off the bridle some way from home as he attempted to repeat his 2013 victory in one of France’s best cross-country chases, the €75,000 three and three-quarter mile Grand Cross de Craon.

STORMED HOME

But the Irish-bred son of King’s Theatre really hit top gear approaching the final fence and, urged on by a crowd of around 12,000, he stormed home to score by three lengths from Kapville with Posilox, the horse who took advantage when Balthazar King suffered an uncharacteristic fall at Le Lion d’Angers in May, close behind in third.

Winning jockey Richard Johnson revealed afterwards that Balthazar King is not keen on a rotavated section of the course, hence his hitting a flat spot, and also commented that, following a steady pace, his mount’s renowned stamina only came into play late in the day.

Hobbs added that Balthazar King will probably now be kept fresh and not be seen again until the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase at Cheltenham in mid-November.