The Listowel festival binge winds up this afternoon, and with the card on offer, anybody even slightly ahead financially after the week might do well to cut and run.
On the assumption that most will enter into the spirit of things, however, Equalise is proposed as a value proposition in the Golden Vale Handicap Hurdle.
Frances Crowley's six-year-old is lurking at the bottom of the race with 9-7 and Francis Berry on board, which looks about right on the basis of his previous hurdle form.
However, Equalise has looked a different proposition on his latest bumper runs. Runner-up to Daraheen Chief at Cork last time, Equalise was a slightly disappointing favourite at Tralee before that, but at Cork last month he was an impressive eight-length winner.
If Equalise takes that level of performance back over flights, he looks well in at today's weights and should appreciate the three-mile trip. The top-weight Lanturn may not be suited by the slightly rain-softened going, but Hazel Honey will be a tough nut to crack. Equalise, though, could be the nutcracker.
The mile Kaliber Handicap is the most valuable event on the card and it could pay to keep an eye on another runner at the bottom of the handicap.
The Ollie Lehane-owned Babe Ruth looks one that will appreciate the trip after his running on fourth to Social Harmony at the Curragh over seven furlongs last weekend. Before that he had been beaten by the minimum margin by Diligent Dodger over seven furlongs at Tralee, and with only 7-12 on his back, could be one to deal with Golden Fact and Hawas.
Racing opens with a seven-furlong two-year-old race, where Renvyle Rose should be hard to beat. Kevin Prendergast's filly ran a decent enough race behind stable companion Henry Joy at Leopardstown in a nursery two weeks ago and should at the least go close.
The smart bumper performer of last season, To Your Honour, goes in the Whelan Novice Hurdle and if anywhere near his peak should take care of these. He hasn't run since landing a Clonmel maiden on the flat 135 days ago but looks a type to really progress this winter.
The Cork-owned Laras Grey will appreciate anymore rain but holds a leading chance in the Kerry Petroleum Chase; while in the Mermaids Handicap, San Michel's fourth to Zilina at the Curragh last weekend reads pretty well.
