Moore under no illusions about the task

With six victories secured already, Arthur Moore is the undoubted specialist trainer for Sunday's Pierse Hurdle, but Moore feels his representatives this time, Lenrey and Well Mounted, face a tougher task now than when he was busy mopping up the race in previous decades. Brian O'Connorreports

The Naas trainer initially landed the big handicap prize, when it was known as the Sweeps Hurdle, with Irian 28 years ago, and quickly followed up with Fredcoteri, who scored in 1983 and 1984. Bonalma (1986) and Roark (1988) also came out on top, while Graphic Equaliser landed the pot when it was known as the Ladbroke in 1998. Under all its various guises though, Moore feels the €130,000 Leopardstown feature is now harder to win than ever.

"It's always been a tough race, but racing over the last few years is generally now much more competitive than it was in the past. You would have to say it's harder to win any race, never mind a Pierse," he said yesterday.

Lenrey has been one of the market leaders in the ante-post betting since last month after winning easily at Fairyhouse, and Davy Russell's mount will go to Leopardstown with some confidence behind him. But Moore doesn't underestimate the task he and Well Mounted face.

"There used to be only 18 or 20 runners in the old days, but now we'll have a maximum field of 27 on heavy ground, and a lot of the horses will be coming into the race in winning form. It's also a very tight handicap and they're all closely weighted," he said.

Moore unlocked the secret to winning the Pierse a long time ago and believes punters should be looking out for an unexposed type.

"Experienced horses do win, but usually you like to have one on the way up. Obviously you would like to be well handicapped too, and you need to get the run of the race," he said. "Lenrey is in very good form, but he has got quite a penalty, 15lb, which is a fair hike for a race like the Pierse, for winning at Fairyhouse. Time will tell if the handicapper is right. I hope he is," Moore added.

"Well Mounted ran a respectable race at Ascot but possibly might like a bit further than two miles."

Well Mounted will be ridden by Philip Carberry, who rode Lenrey at Fairyhouse and is also the regular rider of Timmy Murphy's mount View Mount Prince.

"Lenrey is a very nice horse who won nicely the last day when the ground wasn't the heaviest. He's a classy individual, but the testing ground at Leopardstown will be a big factor," Carberry said yesterday.

"Well Mounted ran a nice race in the Ladbroke and soft ground will suit him. He has solid form in big handicaps and must have a chance," he added.

The going at Leopardstown is heavy and no change is likely before Sunday, with some heavy rain forecast for the Dublin area tonight. "The forecast is quite mixed with rain forecast for Friday night/Saturday morning. Sunday actually looks like being the best day of the week," said the Leopardstown manager Tom Burke. "We will have to wait and see what happens but we're not panicking. We'll just have to keep in touch with the Met Office," he added.

"The track will take some more. It's very hard to be definite about how much it can take because a lot will depend on when the rain comes and how much it is spaced out."

Last night's weather could have a significant effect on whether tomorrow's scheduled card for Punchestown gets the green light. "We are raceable at the moment but the ground is heavy. We had 20mm of rain on Tuesday and Wednesday night which was unexpected," reported Punchestown manager Richie Galway yesterday.

"The forecast is unsettled. It's mainly for winds and showers and it's a question of how much is in there. The worst-case scenario is if we get 10mm overnight or something like that. Then we would be in trouble for Saturday. Or we could be lucky and get just 2mm. We will have to see," he added.

Sunday's main support race at Leopardstown is the Grade Two Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novice Chase, for which the beaten Drinmore favourite King Johns Castle is an intended starter. "He was pulled up before he got a hard race at Fairyhouse, so we will find out more about him on Sunday," confirmed Moore, whose target at Ascot on Saturday week will be the Victor Chandler Chase with Mansony. "He is in good form. He would ideally like soft ground but Ascot seems to be taking any rainfall well."

PADDY POWER:6 Kendor Dine, 7 Quatre Heures, 8 Lenrey, View Mount Prince, 12 Victram, Aitmatov, Cadogan, Well Mounted, 14 bar.