Address: Dereens, Caragh, Naas, Co. Kildare

Principal Jockeys: Davy Russell, David Casey, Philip Carberry, Paddy Flood

Notable Wins: Amazing Thailand Chase (Mansony 2009), Normans Grove Chase (Mansony 2009), Grand Annual Chase (Tiger Cry 2008), Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase (Mansony 2007), Kerrygold Champion Chase (Mansony 2007), Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase (The Railway Man 2006, Native Upmanship 2000, Major Rumpus 1996), Pierse Leopardstown Chase (Marcus Du Berlais 2005, Lyreen Wonder 2002, The Ellier 1987, Royal Bond 1982), Martell Melling Chase at Aintree (Native Upmanship 2003 + 2002), James Nicholson Champion Chase (More Than A Stroll 2002, Glenelly Gale 2003), Red Mills Trial Hurdle (Fadoudal Du Cochet 2002), Troytown Chase (Lyreen Wonder 2002 + 2000, Thinking Cap 1987, The Ellier 1984), John Durkan Memorial Chase (Native Upmanship 2002 + 2000), Arkle Challenge Cup (Well Ridden 2001, Soft Day 1993), Kerry National (More Than A Stroll 2001), Power Gold Cup (Native Upmanship 2000), Menolly Homes Champion Novice Hurdle (Native Upmanship 1999), Imperial Cup Hurdle (Regency Rake 1999), Pierse Hurdle (Graphic Equaliser 1998, Roark 1988, Bonalma 1986, Fredcoteri 1984 + 1983, Irian 1979,), Swordlestown Cup (Jeffell 1997), Thyestes Chase (Wylde Hide 1996 + 1995), Denny Gold Medal Novice Chase (Manhattan Castle 1996, Klairon Davis 1995, Soft Day 1993), Irish Grand National (Feathered Gale 1996), Queen Mother Champion Chase (Klairon Davis 1996, Drumgora 1981), Arkle Challenge Trophy (Klairon Davis 1995, The Brockshee 1982), Galway Plate (Feathered Gale 1994), Jameson Gold Cup Novice Hurdle (Klairon Davis 1994), Evening Herald  Champion Novice Hurdle (Klairon Davis 1994), Boyne Hurdle (Dee Ell 1993), Cathcart Chase (Second Schedual 1993), Game Spirit Chase (Feroda 1990), Perrier Jouet Novice Chase (Feroda 1989), Captain Morgan Handicap Chase (Feroda 1989), Paddy Power Chase (Have A Barney 1988), H & T Walker Gold Cup (Weather The Storm 1987), Fortria Chase (Royal Bond 1986), AIG Europe Champion Hurdle (Fredcoteri 1985),

Trainer Arthur Moore has a formidable record in many of the top handicaps and weight-for-age events in Ireland and his runners always get the utmost respect from the bookmakers and pundits alike. However, Moore’s reputation of being one of the best trainers in the country to ready a horse for a specific target has not been acquired overnight as he has been a licensed trainer for over 30 years.

Early Days

Moore learned his trade from his highly-successful trainer father, Dan. Dan was perhaps best known as the trainer of L’Escargot who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in both 1970 and 1971, as well as the 1975 Aintree Grand National. At that time, Arthur was successfully exhibiting his talents in the saddle with notable wins coming on King’s Sprite in the Irish Grand National in 1971, as well as winning both the Troytown Chase and the Thyestes Chase on Veuve in 1971 and 1973 respectively.

However, training was always Arthur’s main objective and while he won plenty of races in the early stages of his training career, he had to wait until 1979 before gaining his first big-race win. That win came courtesy of the 20/1 success of Irian in the Sweeps Hurdle (now known as the Pierse Hurdle) at Leopardstown, a race that he would go on to win on another five occasions in later years. It was at this time that Royal Bond came into Moore’s care. That horse would go on to win a race in each of the 11 years that he raced for, gaining a total of 17 successes, the last of which came at Killarney when he was the ripe old age of 15. He was at the height of his powers in 1982 when he went off second favourite for that year’s renewal of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle which is run annually at Fairyhouse in late November/early December is named in honour of the durable performer, a fitting tribute to a horse that holds a special place in Moore’s heart.

Success At Cheltenham

A win at the Cheltenham Festival is near the top of every trainer’s wish list and luckily for Moore, he did not have to wait too long before getting off the mark at Prestbury Park. Drumgora developed into a high class chaser in the early-80’s, winning successive renewals of the Fortria Chase in 1980 and 1981. However, it was in between those wins he gained his most notable success, winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the 1981 Cheltenham Festival at 25/1. With his Cheltenham Festival duck broken, Moore followed up that success the very next year, winning the Arkle Trophy with The Brockshee.

More Big Race Glory

Moore’s happy association with the Sweeps Hurdle continued through the 1980’s with Fredcoteri winning both the 1983 and 1984 renewals of the race and Bonalma landing the race in 1986. While that race in particular has shown Moore’s talents at training horses over the smaller obstacles, he has always been best known for his ability as a trainer of chasers. He collected the prestigious Troytown Chase in 1984 with The Ellier and in 1987 with Thinking Cap, while Weather The Storm claimed the Black & White Whiskey Chase (now known as the Lexus Chase) in 1987.

The talented Feroda ensured that the entry of the Moore yard into the 1990’s was a smooth one, winning twice at the Aintree Festival in 1989 before taking the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury in 1990. Second Schedual proved to be a lucrative campaigner during his novice chase campaign in the 1992/3 season, winning the Nas Na Riogh Case before adding to Moore’s Cheltenham Festival tally with a win in the Cathcart Chase.

Klairon Davis Emerges

It was in 1993 that Moore unleashed his first genuine superstar in the shape of Klairon Davis. Having won his bumper, he went through his novice hurdling season undefeated, winning a total of six races including the Grade 2 Jameson Gold Cup Hurdle. He was sent straight over fences the following season where he made an instant impact, winning the Grade 1 Denny Gold Medal Chase and the Grade 2 Baileys Arkle Challenge Cup before gaining a famous victory in the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival. The build up to his bid for the 1996 Queen Mother Champion Chase did not go to plan with his successful seasonal reappearance in the Tipperary Racecourse Chase being followed by three defeats. However he bounced back to form in spectacular fashion at Prestbury Park to claim a famous victory over Viking Flagship and Sound Man in the most prestigious of all the top class two mile chases. He won the next two renewals of the BMW Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival and while he continued to race enthusiastically until his retirement in 2001, he never reached the same heights as he had on that famous day in Cheltenham.

Native Upmanship Rolls Into Town

Most trainers would be happy to get just one horse like Klairon Davis through their hands during their career, but Arthur Moore came across another equally talented and durable performer before the career of the aforementioned star had even finished. The John Magnier-owned Native Upmanship opened his account in workmanlike fashion in a Punchestown bumper in April 1998 and while the impact that he then made over hurdles was not as immediate as that of Klairon Davis, he improved throughout the season to claim his first Graded success in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, a race which was somewhat overshadowed by the death of Joe Mac.

In common with Klairon Davis, Moore sent Native Upmanship straight over fences after his novice hurdle campaign with immediate success. He won his first three races over the larger obstacles including the Grade 1 Denny Gold Medal Chase and the Grade 2 Dr. P.J. Moriarty Chase. An honourable fourth behind Lord Noelie in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival followed before he won the Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup on his next start by a distance. He did not get the clearest run of things during the 2000/1 season as he only got to the racecourse on five occasions, however he did manage a thrilling victory over Florida Pearl in the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown.

That result was reversed in the following season’s renewal of the race with Florida Pearl emerging the short-head victor, but once again that season Native Upmanship showed his best form in the spring months. Having finished a highly-creditable second to Flagship Uberalles in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2002, he went on to gain his fifth success at the highest level in the Martell Melling Chase at the Aintree Festival.

The 2002/3 season saw him gain his second win in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown before once again filling the runner-up berth in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, this time behind Moscow Flyer. Then followed what was arguably the highlight of his career, his second win in the Martell Melling Chase. Conor O’Dwyer exuded confidence throughout the race and the fashion with which he toyed with Seebald in the closing stages will live long in the memory. This proved to be his last win at the highest level and while his form dipped significantly, he continued to fill the frame in Graded contests during the next two seasons. In fact, he recaptured his spark to record one final win in the 2005 renewal of the An Uaimh Chase at Navan where he beat Rathgar Beau by a distance. In total he earned over €1 million for his owner and will go down as one of the best 2m 4f chasers of modern times.

The Recent Past And Beyond

In  more recent seasons, Marcus Du Berlais went close in both the 2004 and 2005 renewals of the Irish Grand National, though that horse did gain some compensation for his connections with a win in the valuable Pierse Handicap Chase in January 2005. That same day, Mansony narrowly failed to complete a famous double for the Moore team when finishing a close second in the Pierse Hurdle. However the following season normal service was very much resumed with The Railway Man prevailing in the Grade 1 Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase at Leopardstown and the aforementioned Mansony claiming the Grade 2 Flyingbolt Novice Chase at Navan. In 2007, Mansony would go on to win both the Grade 1 Kerrygold Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival and the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown. Moore also enjoyed a fruitful period in the latter half of the 2007/8 season, winning the Grade Annual Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March before his King Johns Castle failed by just four lengths to peg back Comply Or Die in the Aintree Grand National the following month.

Since that day at Aintree, Mansony has been the standard bearer for the Moore yard, twice winning at Grade 2 level in early-2009 and while his recent form has not been up-to-scratch, he should not be written off just yet. Sole Bonne Femme also pitched in with a win in a valuable handicap hurdle at Down Royal in November 2008.

At the time of writing, Moore is on target to register his best seasonal tally of winners for a number of years and this veteran of the Irish training ranks looks likely to continue on in as good form as ever for the foreseeable future.

Updated December 2009.