RACING Leopardstown preview: The presence of Adamant Approach in the race is a reminder of how dangerous the Willie Mullins-Ruby Walsh team can be in the Pierse Hurdle and the partnership could hammer the point home in style at Leopardstown tomorrow with Silk Screen.
The first big pot of 2005 has attracted a field of 22 runners, including the topweight Claymore who will bid to become the first cross-channel-trained winner since Master Tribe in 1997.
No SP's were returned that day, but value betting will be of huge importance this time and it could be that Silk Screen represents the best each way option against some typically competitive opposition.
It's three years since Adamant Approach won the €130,000 prize for the Mullins yard and this time that one will be ridden by the claimer Andrew McNamara, leaving his junior stable companion to be ridden by Walsh.
Like Adamant Approach, Silk Screen is a five-year-old going into it, but if inexperience is an issue, then it will be for a lot of the other main market fancies who are young horses on the up.
They include the ante-post favourite Essex who hasn't seen a racecourse since winning the Cesarewitch at the Curragh last October. Since he achieved the not inconsiderable task of blazing past Solerina that day, Essex's potential is obvious, as is his versatility since he won on the strand at Laytown over seven furlongs before that. But a 22-runner handicap around Leopardstown represents a very differnent sort of challenge.
Another five-year-old is Al Eile who has had a run over hurdles since his own big flat handicap success here in the November Handicap. That subsequent appearance was in the Festival Hurdle behind Macs Joy and in the circumstances it wasn't a bad effort. But Al Eile has proved a tricky ride in the past and this will be no place for quirks when the heat is piled on approaching the straight.
One horse that has been plying his trade against the best of the novices is Leonardo de Vinci who was the only one to give Royal Paradise a run here at Christmas and who previously had edged out the high-class Rocket Ship at Naas. That is very decent form and given that he is proven on the ground it would be hard to knock the case for him giving Edward O'Grady a first success in the race.
Kilbeggan Lad showed signs of running back into form on his last start but the fact he is 6lb out of the handicap proper is a blot on the argument for the Michael Hourigan runner.
In contrast there is no such concern with Silk Screen who sits snugly on the 10-3 mark looking up at the most of the main threats in the ratings. He hasn't run since November when finishing a nice fourth to Native Stag and before that he hadn't been in competitive action since May. Sharpness, however, should not be an issue in the Mullins camp and in such a tight race Silk Screen does appear to have more going for him than most.
Arthur Moore has won six renewals of the Pierse Hurdle in its various guises over the years and depends on Mansony in the big race this time. But the Naas trainer also looks to hold a significant interest in the €100,000 Leopardstown Chase. Native Jack tops the weights but Moore could hold a winning shout with Marcus Du Berlais who looks up to finally winning a big pot after finishing runner-up to Granit D'Estruval in last April's Irish Grand National.
The eight-year-old has run just three times since and the last of them had him running on noticeably well at Thurles.
Keepatem skips the big handicap to run instead in the Grade Two Paddy Fitzpatrick Novice Chase. Senior opposition proved to be no problem to the diminutive stayer in the Paddy Power over Christmas and the softer the going the more of a threat he will be.
A fascinating part of the race will be to examine the performance of Newmill who ruined his chance over Christmas by running too free and who now runs over five furlongs further. A stamina test, however, will surely suit Keepatem.
Piercing Sun returned from almost five months off the track to run a blinder under 12st behind Baron De Feypo in a handicap here over Christmas.
The winner got home so well that a 7lb penalty may not stop him later on in the afternoon, so Piercing Sun looks one to keep on the right side of in the opener.
Supreme Peace is 9lb higher for scoring at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day but she made a bad mistake at the second last that day and could still make her presence felt in the Pertemps qualifier.
