Victram Favourite For Pierse Hurdle The Adrian McGuinness trained Victram, currently the ante-post favourite, is one of 27 horses declared for the ?130,000 Pierse Hurdle on a top class card at Leopardstown on Sunday. Third in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Sandown in early December, Timmy Murphy now takes over from the injured Andrew Lynch on this useful six year old and is sure to prove popular with the punters in what is always a fiercely competitive event. Tony McCoy rides No Where To Hyde, one of two runners from the Christy Roche stable who will be bidding to give owner J.P. McManus his first win in the race while another big fancy is likely to be recent course winner, Escrea, trained by Paul Nolan. Johnny Murtagh takes the mount on Noel Meade's Arch Rebel, one of three runners from the stable while trainer Arthur Moore, who has won this race on six previous occasions, relies solely on Bon Temps Rouler, the mount of Philip Carberry. On the same card, last year's Irish Grand National winner, Numbersixvalverde, trained by Martin Brassil and the mount of Ruby Walsh, heads the weights for the ?100,000 Pierse Leopardstown Chase for which 13 horses have been declared to run. The Philip Rothwell trained Black Apalachi was a 25/1 winner of the Paddy Power Chase over the same course and distance at Christmas and is sure to be a leading player despite having to shoulder a 9lb penalty for that success while Camden Tanner and Ross River, second and third in the Paddy Power Chase, are likely to be strongly fancied to reverse those placings on the altered weight terms. The first of seven races is off at 12.50 pm and there is a Jackpot Pool Guarantee for ?30,000
