Willie Mullins looks set to field a team of four runners in this weekend's Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown but Kendor Dine was the popular horse with punters yesterday and Barry Geraghty's likely mount is now as low as 6 to 1 favourite for the first major prize of 2007.
Kendor Dine was backed in from 10 to 1 after yesterday's forfeit stage resulted in 39 horses remaining in Sunday's €130,000 pot.
They include the veteran 2002 winner Adamant Approach, the likely topweight, who leads a strong Willie Mullins squad that also includes last season's leading juvenile Quatre Heures who has been steadily backed for the race for the past week.
"All four will probably run and there should be no problems with them getting into the race. Three of them are near the top anyway. But no jockey arrangements have been made. Ruby (Walsh) will ride one of them and then we'll see," Mullins said yesterday.
Asked if the champion jockey would end up on Quatre Heures, Mullins said: "He probably won't ride Adamant Approach but both Mister Hight and Orge D'ete have recent form which is a big help in that race. We will see later in the week."
Arthur Moore is in pursuit of a seventh success in the race with the previous favourite Lenery and Well Mounted.
Lenery, who was ridden by Philip Carberry in his last start, will team up with Davy Russell on Sunday. Carberry will switch to Well Mounted.
Both Russell and Carberry are searching for a first Pierse victory but his colleague Barry Geraghty was successful on Essex two years ago and looks set to ride the race favourite again this time.
Geraghty has been in flying form with the Co Kilkenny trainer Eoin Griffin and scored recent Grade Two wins on both Lounaos and Kazal.
Kendor Dine was another winner for the team at Leopardstown over Christmas and represents novice form against some seasoned handicappers.
"He lacks handicap experience but he was highly rated on the flat and has a touch of class," Geraghty said yesterday.
"There are plenty in there with chances but ground won't be a problem. Doing 10-6 won't be a problem. I did 10-4 on Lounaos on St Stephen's Day."
Another trainer with four possible starters is Noel Meade whose quartet consists of Power Elite, Orbit O'Gold, Jaamid and the novice Aitmatov who is a 12 to 1 shot.
The champion owner and legendary gambler JP McManus has never won the Pierse and after the defection of the sole British entry, Tarlac, McManus's only remaining contender is the Tom Mullins-trained New Field.
The ground at Leopardstown is now heavy and that will put the premium on stamina in Sunday's other handicap feature, the Leopardstown Chase, for which 23 horses remain.
They include the past winners What A Native and Marcus Du Berlais as well as the novice Toofarback who also holds an entry in the Grade Two Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novices Chase.
Noel Meade's horse is one of just 11 left in that race which could see the reappearance of the McManus-owned King Johns Castle who started favourite for the Christmas Grade One won by Cailin Alainn only to be pulled up after the third last.
PIERSE HANDICAP HURDLE BETTING:(Paddy Power): 6 Kendor Dine, 8 Lenery and View Mount Prince, 10 Quatre Heures, 12 Aitmaitov, Cadogan, Victram and Well Mounted, 14 bar.
