Brian O'Connor
The Pierse Hurdle in all its incarnations over the years has always been one of racing's great puzzles, but when presented with such brain-teasers Michael O'Brien has always been the man to have on your side.
Tomorrow the Naas trainer goes into the €130,000 prize with two of the favourites, and bookmakers have learned to tread cautiously on such ground.
Newlands Gold, who will be ridden by 7lb claimer Tom Ryan, has swapped prominence in the ante-post market with his stable companion Beechcourt in recent weeks, and O'Brien can see why.
"Both horses have their chance and both of them look and seem very well. Three or four of our horses have had the cough, but so far we are keeping it at bay," he said yesterday.
The bug that has ravaged many yards in Ireland recently is just another complication in a race that has attracted less than its normal glut of runners.
"That will help the young fella on Newlands Gold, but when you look at the horse's chance, for a five-year-old he has a lot to do off 11.9. Putting him up 8lb for winning at Fairyhouse was a bit severe," argued O'Brien, whose best result in the race was a second with Arctic Weather.
But whereas Newlands Gold looks reasonably exposed, the exact opposite looks the case with Beechcourt.
The seven-year-old, owned by the race sponsor, Jed Pierse, looked a potential top-notcher as a bumper horse but lost his way in his first season over hurdles. Nevertheless, it did reap placed efforts behind the likes of Central House and Hardy Eustace, and, crucially, after a wind operation in the summer, he has looked a different customer in two starts this term.
The second of those resulted in an easy win at Cork and Paul Carberry remains on board. History is littered with beaten "handicap good things", but Beechcourt does look potentially thrown in here on 10.12.
"It is difficult to know until they first run in handicap company," O'Brien said, "but if he is back to the type of form he showed as a bumper horse he would have a serious chance."
Georges Girl and Columba look a threat on the testing conditions, but Carberry looks the ideal partner for Beechcourt, who can provide both trainer and rider with their debut successes in the race.
O'Brien's Limerick winner Away Home, who ran McGruders Cross close at Naas subsequently, looks booked for the opening hurdle, while the classic winning rider Seamus Heffernan can notch up a third hurdles victory of the season on Supergood in the two mile handicap. The partnership won well at Punchestown on Wednesday and 7lb extra doesn't look enough to stop them.
Barrow Drive is an unlikely starter in the €100,000 Leopardstown Chase after running a temperature yesterday, and those searching for a winner now could do worse than examine the claims of Be My Belle.
The former Thyestes winner, in her last season racing, put in her best effort of the term when running second to Sacundai over hurdles at Christmas.
The Irish National victor Timbera ran a most encouraging race behind World Wide Web in the Paddy Power and should be better for the run, but on the ground the mare looks a better option.
Emotional Moment was an expensive faller behind Pizarro at Christmas but schooled well during the week and Barry Geraghty is back on board for the Grade Three novice chase. Ballyamber represents form from the Drinmore behind Nil Desperandum, but, after Kicking King's midweek success, Emotional Moment can crown a good week for trainer Tom Taaffe.
