Never has there been so much money on offer for hurdlers and chasers in Ireland in the pre-Christmas period, and inevitably the top horses are able to side-step one another in a fashion reminiscent of what so often happens on the flat in the spring.
Today it is the turn of Dorans Pride to join the gravy train with three rivals, none of them in his class, in the Morris Oil Chase.
In view of his fight-back after a life-threatening illness, few would begrudge him a soft touch. He won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February, where the main threat vanished when Imperial Call went lame.
But his Gold Cup double bid came to naught when two outsiders, Cool Dawn and Strong Promise, relegated him to third at Cheltenham.
He dropped down to today's trip for his current campaign opener at Gowran Park and returned a generously priced favourite at 7 to 4, won by an impressive eight lengths over Hill Society.
One would imagine that a novice that started favourite for a maiden hurdle at Punchestown would be a strong claimant for honours at Clonmel. The qualifier under this heading is Brush The Flag. He handled soft ground with comfort when winning his bumper at Navan.
La Gazelle could be one of his major rivals. She was a creditable second to Bally Treble over three miles here in February.
It is impossible to oppose Nick Dundee, even if he blundered away an unbeaten record at Gowran Park last month. Such was his reputation that in an 18-runner field competing over two miles six furlongs he was heavily backed at 4 to 6 and returned at 4 to 7.
Those involved were slightly uneasy when Paul Carberry threw down a challenge between the last two fences, but Nick Dundee still had the advantage and would probably have won if he had completed the course.
The engagement of Norman Williamson for Clash Of The Gales could be a significant pointer to the outcome. He gets 12 lb from Daraheen Chief, and, while the nearest she got to winning a bumper was at Tramore in January when she ran Diamond Melody to a neck, she is an experienced jumper.
Suny Bay must emulate some of the greatest steeplechasers in post-war history if he is to repeat last year's win in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup. The grey, successful by 13 lengths under 11st 8lb in 1997, headed the handicap on 12st when weights were published yesterday for the £70,000 added Newbury contest on November 28th.
Arkle is the only horse to have defied a bigger burden in the season's first big staying chase, scoring under 12-7 in 1964 and 1965. Mill House carried 12-0 to victory in 1963, as did Burrough Hill Lad in 1984.
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