The sheet of declared runners issued by the Turf Club shortly after 10 a.m. yesterday presented a bizarre picture of the excessive number of National Hunt horses in the country.

For safety reasons 16 is the maximum number allowed in any race at Thurles and with seven races on the programme this allowed for 112 runners in total. The number of declarations made by optimistic trainers totalled 242 which meant that more horses were balloted out than will actually get a run!

Generosa, the best class nomination, managed to escape the cut and will line out for the EBF Beginners Chase.

This mare came so close to winning two races at the Cheltenham Festival, taking the Stakis Casino Hurdle and then failing in a three-way photo to Khayrawani and Miltonfield under her penalty in the Coral Cup the following day.

There was good word concerning her "schooling" before she ran for the first time over fences at Galway but ridden by Norman Williamson she was narrowly beaten by another very promising stayer Saxophone.

Tim Hyde takes the mount on his mother's horse today and the combination is napped.

Noel O'Callaghan has done well with the horses on which he bestowed the "Alexander" prefix deriving from his Dublin hotel and Alexander Prize looks a bet to enhance the record in the long distance EBF INH Dyallion Owners' Maiden Hurdle.

He made a winning first appearance on the flat beating Malabar by 13 lengths at Navan but he was unable to extend Willie's Mullins incredible record in the Cheltenham bumper; finishing ninth to Monsignor.

Moll Mac should run a big race under top weight in the Munster Handicap Hurdle as she goes for her third victory of the year.

Hill Society looks set to bypass the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday week and an opportunity to improve on his fourth to Direct Route in last year's renewal of the race.

The Noel Meade-trained gelding, second in the 1998 Guinness Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham, was seven and a half lengths third to Ollimar over two miles at Naas on Saturday on his seasonal debut.

"He is highly unlikely to travel," Meade said. "We were a bit disappointed with him on Saturday and he probably needs further than two miles now.

"He is in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown and he could even go to Fairyhouse on Sunday for the two-miler."