RACING: Holy Orders, the highest rated horse in Sunday's Leopardstown November Handicap, looks likely to miss the race in favour of a trip to Scotland next week.

A total of 28 entries were left in the big handicap which, despite the race title, features in the last day of the Irish flat season.

They include Monday's impressive course winner Al Eile who has been raised a stone in the ratings for his latest eight-length success as well as the Irish Cesarewitch hero Essex from the Michael O'Brien yard.

An interesting entry of four horses has come from the Mark Prescott stable but the Doncaster winner Tempsford looks like the only possible traveller.

"Two of the others are in the sales here so we don't know yet what is going to happen with them. Tempsford is a possible but the penalty for winning I would say would stop him from going," the Newmarket trainer said yesterday.

If Holy Orders is absent from the race it will impact on the weights and that scenario looks like unfolding after the enigmatic horse ran unplaced in Sunday's Prix Royal Oak at Longchamp.

"He only got back from France last night and the original plan was to take him to Musselburgh for a Listed race if the ground there was heavy. That looks more likely than Leopardstown," said Holy Orders' trainer Willie Mullins yesterday.

Beef Or Salmon does not figure in the entries and will instead wait for Down Royal on Saturday week but some high-profile jumping names left in include both Rosaker and Riverboatman, who won at Galway over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Mark Prescott has also left in the Horris Hill Stakes winner Cupid's Glory as well as Comic Strip in the Listed Eyrefield Stakes but neither is likely to run.

"Comic Strip is more likely to run in France the following week and the other horse has won a Group Three so won't be going," he said.

The Eyrefield has been won by horses of the calibre of Vinnie Roe (2000) in the past and Aidan O'Brien has left a total of eight horses in the race, including Monday's impressive scorer Grand Central.

That Sadler's Wells colt received Epsom Derby quotes of as low as 25 to 1 after his debut but the O'Brien entry also includes Brian Boru's full sister Kitty O'Shea.

On Saturday Limestone Lad could make his return to racecourse action at Naas in the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle. James Bowe's horse hasn't run since being placed behind Baracouda in the 2003 Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Frances Crowley's good chaser Nil Desperandum has a Saturday entry in Wetherby's Charlie Hall Chase but instead looks like waiting for a clash with Beef Or Salmon in the James Nicholson Champion Chase at Down Royal.

"I think he will probably go to Down Royal. Basically I put him in at Wetherby because I like the track and I wanted to see if it was an easier option. But it looks like being every bit as competitive as Down Royal so he will stay at home," said Crowley yesterday. The Curragh-based trainer won the Charlie Hall with Sackville three years ago.

There will be some anxious glances at the sky down at Gowran Park this morning to see if the weather puts paid to this afternoon's scheduled meeting.

The ground is currently "heavy" but the track is raceable at present. However, yesterday a Turf Club spokesman confirmed that a poor weather forecast is the main reason for this morning's 7.30 inspection at the track.

"It's an awful forecast but they have been wrong before and if the heavy rain and high winds don't come then they will be able to race," he said.

If racing does get the green light it will be without Jamie Spencer and Pat Smullen who have gone on international duty in the United States and Australia, respectively. Spencer could miss out most with the debut of Gypsy King in the mile maiden.

The Sadler's Wells colt has held some eye-catching entries and although conditions will hardly be perfect, he is worth keeping an eye on.

Rory Cleary will be hoping the action does proceed because his mount in the fillies handicap, Berkeley Note, looks up to defying a 5lb penalty for winning at the Curragh and Mollyputthekettleon also has shout in the preceding maiden.