Mullins' highly rated Karalee heads the cast at Thurles

Just how talented is Karalee?

Willie Mullins has the patience of seven saints and even resisted the temptation of running Faugheen in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle last April when he was struggling to defend his Irish trainers' title.

For him to pitch Karalee into Grade 1 company on her second start in two years screams that she must be very useful indeed.

Karalee went off at 11-4 for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown in April but she could not live with the teak-tough Apple's Jade and was beaten 16 lengths into third.

She is swimming in calmer waters on her first start of the season, lining up in the 2m mares hurdle (1.25), but her trainer thinks she has it all to do to beat Barra.

Mullins said: "Karalee is a nice mare but I think she will have her work cut out to beat Barra. She is in good form, though, and she will like the ground and the trip."

Sprinter's son heading over fences

Monsieur Bond was a smashing sprinter who won the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes over 6f and only ventured beyond 7f once in his life, yet his son, Montalbano, makes his debut over fences in the 2m2f beginners chase (12.25).

The five-year-old is trying to follow in the footsteps of Bishopsfurze (2011), Marito (2012) and Shaneshill (2015) who all won this race for Ireland's champion trainer.

Mullins said: "It is very unusual to see a horse out of a sprinter like Monsieur Bond going over fences but he jumps well at home. If he comes back to his hurdles form he would have to have every chance."

Kennedy in big profit over hurdles

Younger brother Jack has been hogging all the headlines but Paddy Kennedy has been resurrecting his own career quite impressively this season and is showing a tasty €41.25 level stakes profit for every €1 staked on his 101 rides in hurdle races.

Kennedy has already ridden 12 winners this season, more than the last three seasons combined, and it is worth noting that 11 of those wins have come over hurdles.

The Dingle native teams up with Highandmighty in the 2m maiden hurdle (2.25), but perhaps his best chance of adding to his impressive record over hurdles this season is with Diggin Deep in the concluding 2m6f handicap hurdle (3.25).

Could Steel be the real deal?

A Thursday at Thurles in nippy November might not jump out as the time and place for stars to be seen but Willie Mullins has picked the 2m maiden hurdle (1.55) to unleash some of his most exciting prospects and Real Steel will try to provide him with a fifth straight win in the race and a sixth in seven years.

The Mullins roll of honour reads as follows: Turban (2011), Lucky Bridle (2013), Max Dynamite (2014), Petit Mouchoir (2015) and Riven Light (2016). They didn't turn out to be too bad, did they?

Real Steel, described by Mullins as a "nice sort" in his stable tour, was beaten a nose by Izzo in a 2m2f hurdle on very soft ground at Fontainebleau in March and it is worth noting that his conqueror has won three times since, including a Grade 3 at Auteuil.

Real Steel's main danger looks to be Daly Tiger from the Noel Meade stable who was a comfortable winner of a bumper at the track earlier this month.

O'Brien hoping for a Lovely answer

Lovely Job heads just five runners from an entry of 13 in Taunton's £16,000 novice limited handicap chase (1.50), which is the most valuable event being run over jumps in Britain and will be staged as the fourth contest on what is now a seven-race card following the division of the novice hurdle.

The topweight first ventured over fences almost two years ago, but failed to win and missed all of last season. He has returned in good form for Fergal O'Brien, adding two wins and two further seconds to the second places he gained in that first season over fences, when he was trained by Donald McCain. He will not mind the forecast good ground, having won under similar conditions at Uttoxeter and Hexham.

Paul Nicholls saddles chasing debutant Captain Bucks, whom he has described as "a good, fun horse for the smaller tracks", but Philip Hobbs possibly has the main danger in Beau De Brizais, whose Stratford second was boosted at Kempton on Monday by the progressive winner, Play The Ace.

Sprint stars out at Newcastle

Newcastle's six furlong feature, worth £11,500, has attracted a strong-looking field full of familiar names, not least the 2015 July Cup runner-up Tropics.