Anotherway could be the dark horse as Man O Work bids to go back-to-back at his beloved Listowel

Man O Work does his best work at Listowel. This will be the six-year-old's third trip to the track and his previous two visits have yielded victory in this race 12 months ago and second place in the previous year's Lartigue Hurdle. 

It would be no surprise if trainer Paul Fahey has had a big circle around September 27 for some time and Man O Work arrives on the back of a perfectly respectable fifth at Killarney in a Flat handicap, which was won by the smart stayer Prydwen. 

He is 6lb higher than last year but Cian Cullinan is still able to claim 7lb, so it would be foolish to rule him out of the equation, especially as his CV includes a win on heavy ground at Limerick. 

Willie Mullins sent out Horantzau D'Airy to get closest to Man O Work last year and the champion trainer has won this race twice since 2017 with Lagostovegas and Dysart Diamond. 

This time he has assembled a team of five and Paul Townend has picked recent wide-margin Kilbeggan winner Tounsivator. It is easy to understand why, given the authority with which he won there and he remains unexposed off a mark of 138 in this type of handicap. 

Stablemate Risk Belle has solid form in big handicaps and her win on very soft ground in France is a positive. Indeed, her top three RPRs have been with soft or heavy in the going description. 

Anotherway got a flyer in the Galway Hurdle and was half a dozen lengths clear after jumping the first, but couldn't take advantage and folded tamely. He's surely better than that and might be able to show it on this slower surface. He makes most appeal at the prices. 

What they say 

Cian Collins, trainer of Mighty Tom
He seems in good form at home but unfortunately the ground has gone against him and I'm not sure whether he'll run if it's too deep.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Royal Eagle and Set Point
Jack [Kennedy] is on Royal Eagle and she's a lovely mare who has been in good form on the Flat. I was delighted with her at Bellewstown last time and she's back over hurdles here with an each-way shout. Set Point has a nice weight and had a spin on the beach at Laytown last time, which should leave him spot on for this.

Paul Fahey, trainer of Man O Work
He's been unlucky in his two hurdle runs over the summer as he landed on top of the second hurdle at Bellewstown and his race was over after that, and there was a false start in the race at Galway and he lost his position. He ended up wide and you can't win when you go wide at Galway. He wasn't beaten that far. He seems to be in very good form and I don't think he'll mind the ground. I won't be blaming it afterwards, that's for sure.

Harry Rogers, trainer of Lord Erskine
He won't mind soft ground and he acts on it, but he definitely doesn't want real heavy ground. We've run him a few times on proper heavy ground and he didn't like it. Hopefully it won't get like that as he's as good as he's been all year. I'm delighted with him.

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