the last resort is to fully configure in the landing config.
Caveat - not flown the NG, only the Classics. This idea works very well. Often used a high overfly coming into Cairns from Darwin to minimise the discomfort of turbulence. Over the upwind threshold and into the circuit at around 10-11,000 feet, configuring to gear/25. Reasonably tight circuit. Spin up and reconfigure to land going around base ending up in the slot on final. Good, clean fun and worked a treat, saving a fortune on passenger amenity items.
As I recall, a bit better than a mile a thousand.