In days gone by the jumping season proper did not spring to life until Christmas but now things are very different, and a matter of days after the close down on the flat, Down Royal is hosting a £50,000 handicap hurdle.

Although horses rated up to 9lb superior to Sunset Lodge would have been eligible to compete, their absence has ensured a better structured contest with 19 runners, only two of which are outside the handicap proper.

Sunset Lodge reverts to hurdling after two wins over fences, and while he was impressive at Galway, it is hard to see him win this off 12 stone.

Pat Hughes is always in with a shout in these big handicaps, and the pick of his trio is Grinkov. He won two flat handicaps during the summer, including the concession of 12lb and a two-length, beating McCracken in the Guinness Extra Stout Handicap at Galway. Two days later he beat the smart French Style over hurdles at Galway.

An obvious danger will come from Tryphaena, and those punters who backed him at Newmarket to win the Cesarewitch and at Leopardstown on Sunday in the November Handicap will surely be seeking to recoup their losses.

In both instances he looked a winner until late on, and it is probable that the two miles over hurdles at Down Royal will be more to his liking.

Others to deserve notice include Noel Meade's pair, last year's winner Miss Emer and Barry Geraghty's mount Pillar Rock; Experimental, who has a habit of running a big race off a light weight; and the French-bred Kapok.

Kapok, the mount of Norman Williamson, is best judged on his Punchestown Festival placing behind the Venetia Williams-trained Zahari rather than on his form so far this season.

Royal Marine has been long trying to win a novice chase, but may have found the ideal opportunity in the Seacat Beginners Chase, where he has an abundance of experience over fences to bring to play against some modest opposition.

Ruby Walsh's first day back in action should produce an early success in the shape of Tuesday (1-55), while Gareth Cotter has double prospects with Softly Softly (1-25) and Wilton Bridge (3-25).

Joe Tizzard tagged the Leopardstown bumper winner, Valley Henry, "the best horse I've ever ridden" following the gelding's facile romp to land the Kaliber Novices' Hurdle at Wincanton yesterday.

Paul Nicholls's charge had looked a top-class recruit on his British debut when scoring at Chepstow earlier this month and had little more than a stroll to beat Coastguard by 22 lengths.

"Joe said this is the best horse he'd ever ridden and we hold him in very high regard but one things for sure he wont be over-raced this season as we want him to be a chaser next year," declared Nicholls.

"We see him as a replacement for See More Business in the long term and we'll look at something over the Christmas-New Year period for him next."