RACING: As we reach the final day of the year all the honours have been handed out and Aidan O'Brien having triumphed over a late summer bug is now in pole position to go after the unique Paddy Prendergast record of three successive English-training championships.

The story of racing is one replete with unresolved and indeed unanswerable questions. One such in 2002 centred upon what would have happened if Adamanat Approach had cleared the last flight in the Gerrard Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham.

His rider Ruby Walsh was one of those who thought that he had snatched the advantage from his heavily backed compatriot Like A Butterfly but J P McManus is still prepared to argue that his gutsy mare would have emerged the winner.

Of one thing though you can be sure and that is that Adamant Approach, previously winner of the Pierse Hurdle, Ireland's richest winter time handicap, was a wonderfully generous 12 to 1 chance and those who sided with him each way certainly had grounds for regret.

Willie Mullins put him to chasing in the late autumn and while he was an unremarkable fourth to Native Scout at Wexford, he should have learned enough from the experience to win at Punchestown (2.45) this afternoon.

To do so he has to account for some other promising novices such as Native Jack, Soltero and Nomadic, all of whom will get their turn in 2003.

Michael O'Brien produces well-schooled maiden hurdlers and The Guy should be no exception. Leopardstown running suggested that he did well to finish third in a Fairyhouse bumper when attempting to give weight to Stacumny Bridge as he has already collected over hurdles this Christmas.

Eric McNamara's Periwinkle Lad had the misfortune to come up against Bizet in the first of his recent wins, the more so as he was seven lengths clear of the others.

One can be dogmatic in the assertion that there will be nothing as well handicapped as Bizet in the Picardstown Handicap at Tramore today and only the Thurles faller Anyshoewilldo can be expected to make a race of it.