RACING: Essex, who landed the Irish Cesarewitch last October, will bid to translate his ability to timber when he lines up as the hot favourite for the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Michael O'Brien's five-year-old crushed the subsequent multiple Graded winner Solerina in the Curragh contest and has been kept for this two-mile handicap ever since.
The former Michael Stoute inmate raced three times over hurdles last term, winning twice before going down by only a length when third to Jonjo O'Neill's Cherub in a Grade One contest at the Punchestown Festival. "He is fine - his preparation has gone well and there have been no problems," said O'Brien. "He ran well in the Irish Cesarewitch and won it nicely. It looks good form as well, with Solerina being in behind, and if he can transfer that to hurdles he must have a good chance.
"Yielding ground will suit him best. A lot of Sadler's Wells don't like it really heavy, but saying that he ran second one day in a Flat race in Gowran and it was heavy - so he should go through it all right."
Paddy Power quote Essex as a 33 to 1 chance for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle in March, and his participation in that race depends on his performance this weekend. "We'll know after Sunday where we are going," continued O'Brien. "The Champion Hurdle entries don't close until Monday, so if he happens to sluice in I'd probably enter him - but if he didn't, then I'll leave the race alone."
Essex will carry 10st 8lb in the Pierse, while Emotional Article is racing from 5lb out of the handicap, having been allotted just 9st 5lb. His trainer Tom Taaffe has been riding the crest of a wave recently, and the five-year-old has won his last two starts, having finished runner-up on his two previous outings. "His last two runs have been very good and he is learning his trade nicely," said Taaffe. "I certainly hope there is more to come.
"The ground won't be a problem to him, but lack of experience against top handicappers may be. It's a wide-open looking race though, and he has a sporting chance."
Another leading player is the John Queally-trained Al Eile, who fluffed his lines when coming home last of the six runners, beaten some 43 lengths, in the Bewleys Hotels December Festival Hurdle at the Dublin track last month. The five-year-old had landed his three previous starts, albeit on the level, and although only ninth in Cherub's Punchestown race, landed a Grade Two novice event at Aintree in April.
"He has come back from Leopardstown fine and there was nothing amiss there - I think he just didn't like the small field," said Queally. "Mind you, he wouldn't have been entitled to win as he was 20lb lower than the nearest horse to him, but I thought he might have run a bit better than he did."
