Connections of Best Mate are hoping conditions at Leopardstown do not get too testing ahead of tomorrow's Ericsson Chase.
Henrietta Knight's dual Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner has been re-routed to Dublin in search of his preferred easier going, having originally been aimed at the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton yesterday.
Best Mate's jockey Jim Culloty told BBC Radio: "We had somebody walk the course a couple of days ago and it was just on the easy side of good which would have been ideal.
"But then I met Ruby Walsh at Kempton races yesterday and he'd flown over from Dublin and he said he nearly needed a canoe to get to the airport so that didn't sound very promising.
"He wouldn't want it bottomless. So long as it's not heavy ground he'd be fine and it would be the same scenario for his main opponent Beef Or Salmon. He wouldn't be crazy about heavy ground either."
The going at Leopardstown this morning was officially described as soft after a dry night. Racecourse manager Tom Burke said: "We are calling the going soft and it might improve a bit again because it's a decent day here.
"We had a dry night and going forward there could be one or two light showers today but nothing of any consequence.
"We'll probably have a little bit of frost tonight again but I don't think it will be too severe with winds picking up again and feeling very cold and a nice, bright day tomorrow as well apparently."