Kaldan Khan, a stalwart for Aidan O'Brien over the last four years and now owned by his wife, Anne Marie, has been in rare form for the Ballydoyle trainer this season, and he can confirm that by landing the £10,000 Great Southern Hotel Handicap at Killarney this evening.

The eight-year-old is a bumper winner and a hurdles winner, and was even tried over fences. That's an unusual career profile for a Ballydoyle resident, but this season Kaldan Khan emerged to take a 10-furlong handicap at Cork in June and then ran a blinder to be third to Perfect Scoundrel and Osprey Ridge at the Curragh.

The form looks solid, especially the defeat of Polenka and Gates at Cork, and despite the change in weather the Killarney ground is still likely to ride decently.

Despite topweight, Quintus, third to Tiger Shark at Leopardstown, cannot be discounted. Nor can the Clonmel winner Lake Millstatt or Dunrally Fort, but with Michael Kinane on board Kaldan Khan looks worth a bet to score for the O'Briens.

The Curragh trainer Michael Grassick could be on the double this evening. The Gowran winner Groundswell is joined by stable companion Bellfan in the apprentice claimer, and while Ger's Royale and Brownsfield are officially rated higher, Groundswell has the proven recent form.

In the concluding maiden, Grassick saddles the Unfuwain filly Donostia, whose running on second to Delphi at Roscommon could be good enough to win.

Ballyrihy Boy may not be the safest jumper, but the fences here are not the stiffest and even a merely adequate jumping round gives him a fine chance in the Beginners Chase, while Native Wit should appreciate the trip of the long distance handicap hurdle.

Up north in Down Royal, Michael O'Brien could be another Co Kildare trainer to score a double.

Ramanele, a three-length winner over Argideen Vale at Cork, should be hard to beat in the mares novice hurdle, and the course winner Dovaly gets the nod in the handicap chase. Dovaly should be suited by the drop back to two and a half miles.

The form of Rivana's Roscommon second to Lady Belzoni has been boosted since and she is preferred to the frustrating Moonis in the Lagan Maiden.