Moore's golden wonder

Moore said: "Racing is more competitive than ever in Ireland and that's a very good thing.

"Most races have an advertised value of 10,000 Irish pounds or more and you know if you win a race and add a few places you have practically covered a year's keep.

"Compare Sandown and Clonmel at the weekend and you'll see."

Painful words for owners with horses in Britain, as well as for those aching to see more of emerald standardbearers like Sackville competing over here. Moore, who once made a habit of sending runners-admitted: "I would love to come to England more, but the incentive is not there." This is an argument that holds strong for most of the year, but will not be aired come Grand National day in April.

Plenty will be wishing Moore well in his quest to win the race, as his father Dan did when L'Escargot beat Red Rum 26 years ago.

It has been written that Dan's son has the blood of the great race coursing through his veins, and those Aintree moments of intense euphoria stir in the usually calm and collected Moore an urge to do silly things with his trilby. His antics were last seen in Britain when Jeffell won the 1999 Victor Chandler Chase, the horse finding himself in the Ascot winner's enclosure with Moore's trilby perched between its ears.

The stunt is almost now a trademark, yet Moore now says the first time he tried it he was inadvertently caught in the act.

"I was assistant to my father when L'Escargot won the National and was, you know, a bit carried away.

"The photographer Gerry Cranham only just managed to catch us and that was it. There's been the odd bit of madness since when I've done it again, and I hope a few more." It's been hats off to so many of Moore's horses already this year.

More Than A Stroll won the Kerry National, Masalarian a richlyendowed hurdle at the big Fairyhouse meeting and The Gatherer ran second to Ansar in the Galway Hurdle, all in a string often slow to reach full stride.

Moore said: "Its practically the best start we've ever had with close to £500,000, yet about half the string - some 30 horses - are still just four and five-year-olds. We hope Lyreen and Native Upmanship can help carry on the good deeds.

"Lyreen could go for the De Vere Gold Cup at Haydock and be given a National entry. He is an easy horse to get ready and I hope the ground will be soft for Cheltenham this week. He was always liable to make mistakes, as he did in the Tripleprint last year, but he much prefers left-handed tracks and stays well."

More Than A Stroll heading to Aintree, Lyreen Wonder to Haydock and Sir Tony O'Reilly's Fadoudal du Cochet being quietly primed for the Victor Chandler - it sounds like Moore is pining to give Britain a few reminders of his prowess, and his trilby.

Tony Smurthwaite is a writer for the Racing Post