Kieren Fallon yesterday described this year's Irish jockeys title as "not a priority" but also conceded he could yet end up taking the championship more seriously.
The current championship leader, Pat Smullen, will decide this morning if he will appeal against a 10-day ban picked up at Listowel on Tuesday but his lead over Fallon dwindled to 12 yesterday when his rival won on De Laurentiis.
Fallon, however, tried to play down talk of a late surge for a first home title to add to the six championships he has picked up in Britain.
"It's still not really realistic. I'm going to be away a lot at the likes of Newmarket and the Breeders' Cup," he said.
"I would need something like another couple of four-timers like last weekend. If that happened I would maybe take it a little more seriously. But it's not a priority."
Smullen's immediate priority is to decide if he will appeal against Tuesday's suspension for "improper riding".
He said yesterday: "I will decide in the morning. I haven't seen the video yet and I need to talk to a few people about what I'm going to do."
Fallon is at Listowel again today, principally for the ride on the €310,000 newcomer Shark Tooth in the opening maiden as well as two other mounts.
The fourth day festival feature, however, is the €50,000 Guinness Handicap Hurdle, which looks a decent big-race opportunity for the Ruby Walsh ridden Silk Screen.
Willie Mullins's horse returned from a summer break to run an encouraging race at Killarney 11 days ago and that should leave him spot on for this task.
It's a stiff task too with Noel Meade running both Dashing Home and Athlumney Lad, who ran a fine second to Silk Screen's stable companion Holy Orders at the Curragh on Sunday.
Last year's winner The Screamer comes back for another crack at the race off a 6lb higher rating and is joined by her stable companion Kilbeggan Lad while Monte Solaro is only just out of the handicap proper.
But Silk Screen, who was a smart juvenile, has always looked like a horse with a decent handicap pot in him and that pot can come his way today.
Fallon is an interesting booking for Mutadarek in the mile-and-a-half maiden but Caherme should relish his first attempt at the distance and is a viable alternative.
The 2004 Pierse Hurdle winner, Dromlease Express, hasn't run since Easter of last year but could have the class to cope with Leinster in the Beginners' Chase, while an 8lb penalty for winning at Galway doesn't look enough to stop Roundstone Lady in the three-mile hurdle.
