Moore awaits Warbler test results

Gary Moore must wait until Friday morning for the results of several blood tests before deciding whether to run Dusky Warbler at Lingfield on Saturday.

The seven-year-old, who is entered in the Grade Two intercasino.co.uk Hurdle, ran below-par on his sole outing this term when last of 10 runners behind Manorson at Newbury last November.

Moore’s charge was then set to take his chance in the Ladbroke Hurdle at Sandown on January 7 but scoped dirty a week before the race.

Although Dusky Warbler scoped clean on Wednesday afternoon, the East Sussex handler will not give him the chance to shine at Lingfield until he has received favourable results from the gelding’s blood tests.

Moore explained: “His blood has gone off to the laboratory today and I will find out the results tomorrow morning.

“If that all comes back good then I would be hopeful of a good run, but I would say we’re not quite seeing the horse we saw last year at the moment.

“I just hope it comes with racing and that’s why I’m keen to run him because I want to aim him at the totesport Trophy.

“I want to see him run a bigger race on Saturday, otherwise it doesn’t warrant him going to Newbury.”

Dusky Warbler ended last season among the top echelon of novice hurdlers after running third to Arcalis in the Grade One Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

He then followed up with a fine second to Mighty Man in a Grade Two contest at Aintree.

“As long as they (the blood tests) are all good, he’ll be a definite runner and I’d be quite hopeful,” added Moore.

“His form was solid last year; we’re stepping up in trip but that shouldn’t be a problem.

“The ground should be okay. It’s going to be bottomless around there but it’s the same for all of them really and he does go in it.”