For a midweek October meeting, there is an intriguing clash between the hardy annual Cockney Lad and the lightly-raced Grimes in the Dunstown Wood Chase at Punchestown today.

With the Noel Meade string stirring back to a peak, the former Irish champion hurdler Cockney Lad is bound to come in for market support, especially with some decent chase performances to his credit last season.

His only success was over the course and distance in February when easily beating Gazalani, and his last two appearances were a sixth to Flagship Uberalles in the Arkle and a fourth to Rince Ri in the Power Gold Cup.

Grimes, in contrast, had just the one race last season when he finally got his ground at Aintree and ran Flagship Uberalles to nine lengths after hitting the third last.

The bare form gives Grimes a slight edge, a 16lb pull from Cockney Lad a bigger one, and decent ground will also be in his favour, so Grimes has to be the pick.

Meade, however, should be on the mark with Frozen Groom in the conditions hurdle. This one was travelling better than most early in the straight at Gowran last week but faded to fourth behind Quintus. It was still a promising effort, though.

Racing opens with the consistent Berenica trying to get off the mark in the six-furlong maiden, and considering her second to Romanylei off a mark of 93 in the Birdcatcher at Naas, she should be up to it.

In the bumper, the top horse, Allinedisamiracle, may be worth a shot. He unseated his rider at the start of the race won by Dawns Double at Galway but before that ran okay behind Triptotipp at Fairyhouse.

Dermot Weld will make up his mind today whether to run Make No Mistake in the Group One Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday. The horse's preparation has been hindered by a minor hoof injury but Weld said that he was "extremely hopeful" that Make No Mistake would make the race.