The Shunter out to plunder another big prize for Emmet Mullins

Sunday: 3.27 Naas
Colm White Bookmaker November Handicap | 2m25y | 3yo+ | RTV

This will be a stamina-sapping slog. It is officially heavy ground at Naas, as has been the case for the last three years on this day, and coping with conditions will be crucial.

Emmet Mullins won't be particularly disappointed by that given The Shunter won the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2020 on soft ground. He has race fitness on his side too, having run three times since finishing eighth in the Galway Plate, and the booking of Jamie Powell to take off 5lb adds to his claims.

Noel Meade sent out De Name Escapes Me to win this valuable price in 2020 and he is triple handed this time. The four-time champion jockey Colin Keane is on Jesse Evans, who comes into the race after a silky-smooth win in a Grade 3 hurdle at Tipperary. He looks dangerous off his Flat mark of 91. He is a 147-rated hurdler.

Irish rugby legend Rob Kearney is one of the owners of The Very Man and the Jessica Harrington-trained eight-year-old comes into the race after a confidence-boosting win in a Thurles maiden. Conditions are fine and he is battle hardened.

My Mate Mozzie left the impression there was a big Flat prize in him when he flew home to finish fourth in the Petingo Handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend from a wide draw.

Gavin Cromwell, who won this in 2019 with Jukebox Jive, has booked 7lb claimer Robert Whearty and he must be on your radar off a mark of 87. He is only six and there ought to be plenty more to come from him under both codes.

Mr Everest, 7-1 co-favourite in 2018, is the only market leader to have won this in the last decade and two of the last three winners were 33-1 and 20-1. They were drawn in stalls 15 and 18, so a wide draw is certainly not the end of the world.

What they say

Dermot Weld, trainer of Falcon Eight
He's very well. He's had a long and successful season and has been very consistent in some good races. He's got his penalties to carry and it won't be easy, but I think he will give a very good account of himself.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Dutch Schultz and My Mate Mozzie
My Mate Mozzie ideally doesn't want the ground too testing and you won't see much of him deep into winter. We'll bring him back in the spring over hurdles and this will be his last run before then. Dutch Schultz ran a big race at Galway two starts ago and will hopefully run a good race in what looks a very competitive renewal of the race.

Pat Fahy, trainer of Dunvegan and Drop The Anchor
Dunvegan has been a great servant for us over the years and is a classy horse on his day. He hasn't run since February, so he's returning from a long break and it won't be easy in a race like this. He seems to be in very good form, though. Drop The Anchor has been running in some decent maidens and should appreciate the ground and the trip.

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