As a piece of promotion for The Alexander, his new hotel beside Merrion Square, Noel O'Callaghan paid over the odds when offering as a raffle prize a season's ownership in Alexander Banquet. The five-year-old then recorded two wins from two starts, including a remarkable Cheltenham Festival triumph in the bumper when he upset a monster gamble on Joe Mac.

Alexander Banquet now makes his debut over jumps in the Curragha Maiden Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

With Joe Mac set to make his jumping debut at Naas on Saturday, Alexander Banquet should set him a headline on how the job should be done. Willie Mullins made entries in both maidens hurdles today and has opted for the longer distance, an indication that he has no doubts about stamina.

The prize money is modest compared to that on offer at Cork yesterday but such is the wealth of talent in Ireland that Alexander Banquet is only one of the potential stars in competition.

Sunset Lodge (1-45) comes from a small stable but he too is big in potential and significantly a horse that in a Limerick bumper last time out in heavy ground was capable of dominating throughout.

Undoubtedly the strongest race of the day is the Mulhuddart Novice Chase, in which Foxchapel King is the choice.

Suny Bay and Coome Hill, the last two winners of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, head the 45 entries released yesterday for the 3 1/4 -mile chase at Newbury on November 28th.

Nicky Richards' The Grey Monk, second to Coome Hill in 1996, is among the entries with his stable companions Unguided Missile and Addington Boy.

The field also includes four from Ireland including Mouse Morris's Boss Doyle and the Ted Walsh-trained Papillon.

The weights for the £85,000 contest will be published tomorrow.