Tomorrow's November Handicap meeting at Leopardstown, the traditional curtain call for the Irish flat campaign, has lost that distinction with the official season now having six more Dundalk all-weather fixtures, the last of which is on December 7th.
But the November Handicap remains a prestige pot and a more pressing problem for punters will not be the role of tradition but rather the affect of unseasonably fast ground which, remarkably, has had the Leopardstown authorities watering in November to achieve good to firm going.
A certain versatility will be required in the €50,000 highlight, and that's where Man On The Nile could end up holding a big advantage.
The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old has winning form over hurdles on extremes of going, and ran a fine fourth on his last start behind Sandymount Earl in the Cesarewitch.
Man On The Nile was fancied to run well in this race last year, only to finish out of the money, but is just 2lb out of the handicap proper this time and, critically, he will have no problem with the conditions.
Fast ground and the seven furlongs of the Listed Knockaire Stakes looks an ideal scenario for Excelerate, who can secure a fourth career win at the distance.
Eddie Lynam's four-year-old didn't figure over a mile at Cork on his last start, but looked unlucky in the Group Three Concorde Stakes at Tipperary before that when finding only Eastern Appeal too good.
Some high-class runners have landed the Eyrefield Stakes over the years, including classic winners like Yesterday (2002) and Vinnie Roe (2000.)
The Fist Of God might not end up in that class, but he was a wide-margin Nursery winner on his last start and he has Mick Kinane on board.
Kinane could also be a player in the opening fillies maiden on Wing Stealth, who looks a type to improve significantly for her first two career starts.
Cork's feature is the three-and-a-half-mile Paddy Power National, and, with stamina at a premium, that should suit Eric McNamara's dour stayer Hordago.
Noel Meade's Queen Althea will be hard to beat in the three-year-old hurdle, but her stable companion Signatory may find Mustangsallyrally too strong in the Listed novice hurdle.
