Willow looks set to continue Ryan's golden autumn

Having not seen a drop of rain for weeks, deluges over the weekend seem set to ensure heavy ground for the year's finale at Roscommon – hopefully the forecast rain does not put the fixture in danger.

There are some good horses on show, particularly the Gordon Elliott-trained Death Duty in the second of the maiden hurdles, but on a day when mudlarks are needed, none probably stand out more than the John Ryan-trained Willow Grange in the OCR Waste Management Handicap Hurdle (3.35).

This fellow is 4lb out of the handicap under Danny Mullins, but comes into the race in great form after winning a handicap chase off the same mark at Sligo three weeks ago. The ground was close to unraceable that day but he ploughed through the mud and stayed on really strongly to win – conditions that look likely to be replicated here.