O'Brien has won this race before with another topweight, so the chances of Great Sphinx, a winner at Tipperary in August before finishing third at Listowel last time, must obviously be respected. The same is true of Anna's Rock, whose trainer Jim Bolger has won this race on six previous occasions, and the Kevin Prendergasttrained Yario.

The lightly-weighted District Six must also be considered. Shane Gorey's mount revelled in the soft ground at Sligo to win his maiden and is sure to go close.

A case can also be made for Tovario but Yario is a tentative choice to oblige for the yard which was responsible for last year's winner Taqseem.

Sina Cova and Paris Winds, who finished second and third behind Red Bloom in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh last month, stand their ground for the listed Ali Retza & Mamadi Soudavar EBF Garnet Stakes over a mile.

Danehill Music adds further interest to the field, as does Joe Murphy's Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up Ardbrae Lady, who would appear to be ideally suited. Take a chance instead with Peter Casey's other runner Blessyourpinksox.

Trainer Noel Meade is fancied to complete a mixed double through Dashing Home in the Paddy Power October Handicap and Yarra Maguire in the Paddy and Ivy Barrett Memorial Handicap Hurdle.

Racing also takes place at Cork with an all-NH card.

Meade will turn his attention to the Dairygold Co-Op Superstores Handicap Chase in which he has two runners, Zum See and Carlesimo. Stable jockey Paul Carberry rides Zum See but preference is for Eoghan O'Grady's course specialist On The Net.