Power Elite is set to contest Saturday's totesport Trophy Hurdle at Newbury rather than remaining in Ireland to take on Hardy Eustace in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle on the same day.

''He is 90 per cent certain to go to England and the only thing that would change my mind is if Hardy Eustace was pulled out of the race at Gowran,'' said the five-year-old's trainer Noel Meade.

It will be Power Elite's first run for over three months and it is over nine since he last ran over timber.

The Castletown handler has struggled to find suitable races for him in the meantime, though he impressed when taking two Flat contests in October.

He missed a possible engagement in the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 9.

Meade added: ''I am very happy with him, but it is a long time since he has run over hurdles,

''My horses have not been running that well, but we did have a winner over the weekend.

''He was in the Pierse Hurdle, but he did not scope well before. He is also hard to place, being rather caught between two stools regarding the handicapper. He is quite high in the weights, and 10lb higher in England than Ireland.

''The County Hurdle (at the Cheltenham Festival) is the race for him later and this looks the best place to go first.''

Power Elite is 16-1 with the leading bookmakers.

Alan King has confirmed Howle Hill will run in the Newbury feature as long as ground conditions remain favourable.

The five-year-old has finished third on all three of his hurdling outings so far this season but the most recent, when behind Distant Prospect at the course in November, received a timely boost when fourth-placed Self Defense won the Agfa Hurdle last Saturday.

Howle Hill is set to carry 11st in the Grade Three event.