STABLE companions Balko Des Flos and On Fiddlers Green have been installed as the general 10/1 joint favourites for next week's Galway Plate, sponsored by thetote.com.

Their trainer Henry de Bromhead won the Plate in 2015 with Shanahan's Turn and the Co Waterford handler has a strong hand again this year with the likes of Devils Bride, Sadler's Risk, Attribution and Deans Road all among the top 29 in the weights (maximum field 22).

Owned by Gigginstown House Stud, Balko Des Flos only won once last season, his first campaign over fences, but he ran well behind some top novices and was in front in the JLT Chase at Cheltenham when he fell at the fourth last. He has yet to race in a handicap.

On Fiddlers Green won over the Plate course and distance at Galway last year, and he made a winning reappearance at Roscommon last month.

The prolific Ballycasey heads the weights for the Plate. Now aged 10, the Willie Mullins-trained grey finished third in the Plate last year off a mark of 145. Well placed to win one handicap and four graded races from eight starts in the interim, Ballycasey is now rated 160.

Last year's winner Lord Scoundrel and the 2014 winner Road To Riches are among the nine Gigginstown House Stud entries. Both are set to race off 156 and carry 11st 6lb, 4lb below Ballycasey. Last year Lord Scoundrel raced off 145.

Road To Riches was pulled up in the 2016 Plate and his Noel Meade is hoping for a much better showing. "He had a problem last year after he got a very bad fall at Punchestown," said Meade. "We couldn’t get him looking well or right all year. It transpired that his spleen had moved over to the other side of his stomach but we didn’t find that out until the spring of this year. Since we got that sorted out he really has turned inside out and he looks more like his old self. He’s been working very well and we have been very happy with him."

The progressive Sandymount Duke is also set to race off 156 (11st 6lb) while last Saturday's Market Rasen winner Alcala is 3lb lower. Paul Nicholls' entry has a new Irish mark of 153 which is 6lb higher than the BHA mark he won off at the weekend.

Three other British-trained entries likely to make the cut of 22 for the two-mile, six and a half furlong race are Harry Fry's Henryville, Ballybolley from the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard, and the Rebecca Curtis-trained Vintage Vinnie.

CURRENT BETTING: 10 Balko Des Flos, On Fiddlers Green, Shaneshill, 14 Alcala, Arbre De Vie, Act Of Payroll, Lord Scoundrel, Sandymount Duke, Townshend, 16 Bentelimar, Devils Bride, Haymount, Katnap, Minella Foru, Road To Riches, Shanpallas, Slowmotion, The Crafty Butcher, 20 A Toi Phil, Attribution, Ballybolley, Ballycasey, Deans Road, Rock The World, Three Kingdoms, 25/1 bar.