Colm Murphy reports Brave Inca to have come out of Sunday’s emotional triumph at Leopardstown in fine form and all roads now lead to Cheltenham in a bid to regain his Champion Hurdle crown.

The last four winners of the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle could reoppose at the Cheltenham Festival as Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca, Sublimity and Katchit are among 34 possibles for this year’s renewal

Former Champion Hurdle winner Brave Inca appears none the worse after his first run in 18 months at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Brave Inca is unlikely to take his chance in Sunday’s Maplewood Developments Hurdle at Punchestown with trainer Colm Murphy electing to bide his time with the 2006 Champion Hurdle hero.

FORMER Champion Hurdle winner Brave Inca will head straight to the Morgiana Hurdle next month as the 10-year-old prepares to return from a 19-month absence.

Former Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winner Brave Inca will head straight to the Morgiana Hurdle next month as the 10-year-old prepares to return from a 19-month absence.

DESSIE Hughes is in no hurry to decide whether Hardy Eustace will bid for a third Champion Hurdle triumph or take the longer option in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

Brave Inca, winner of the 2006 Champion Hurdle, has been ruled out of the upcoming National Hunt season with a tendon injury.

Colm Murphy is confident Brave Inca will get the trip as he tries three miles for the first time at Punchestown tomorrow.

Colm Murphy will step Brave Inca up to three miles for the first time in the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown on Thursday.

COLM MURPHY revealed Brave Inca will take his chance in the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on April 27.

Course specialist Exotic Dancer gets the nod to land the totesport Gold Cup at the final stage of the Cheltenham Festival this afternoon.

IF it’s Cheltenham, it must be time for Moynihan to make a gom of himself again.

Eoin Griffin’s filly Lounaos heads 41 acceptors at the confirmation stage for the JCB Triumph Hurdle on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.

RUBY WALSH rode Brave Inca in a crucial piece of work on the Curragh yesterday morning, although no definite decision has yet been reached as to who will partner the horse in next Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

LOUNAOS, 5-1 favourite with Paddy Power for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, is likely to head to Cheltenham without another run.

Lounaos, 5-1 favourite with Paddy Power for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, is likely to head to Cheltenham without another run.

Colm Murphy could not be happier with Brave Inca’s preparation for his defence of the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Punchestown tomorrow.

BRAVE INCA is on course to bid for back-to-back victories in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

No additional entries have been received for Saturday’s boylesports.com International after the race was reopened.

Champion Hurdle hero Brave Inca is unlikely to make the trip across the Irish Sea this season until he defends his crown at Cheltenham.

BRAVE INCA, if Colm Murphy decides to let him take his chance, can confirm recent superiority over Macs Joy in the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

BRAVE INCA, if Colm Murphy decides to let him take his chance, can confirm recent superiority over Macs Joy in the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

Champion Hurdle hero Brave Inca is likely to face four rivals as he bids for a Festival double at Punchestown on Friday.

DON'T know about you, but here's one who will be desperately sorry to see the back of the National Hunt season.

THE REAL highlight at Liverpool on Saturday will be the Grade One Scottish and Newcastle Aintree Hurdle.

Jessica Harrington is hoping Macs Joy can reverse Champion Hurdle form with Brave Inca at the Punchestown Festival.

Colm Murphy reported Brave Inca to have come out of his victory in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle “exceptionally well”.

Jessica Harrington is looking forward to running Macs Joy at Punchestown following his fine effort in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

BRAVE INCA is strongly fancied to give Ireland a sixth success in eight runnings of the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

Ante-post favourite Brave Inca is firmly on course for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle this day week after delighting connections in a racecourse gallop at Leopardstown.

BRAVE INCA will have one more serious gallop before travelling to Cheltenham in his bid to justify favouritism in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle on March 14.

Brave Inca will have one more serious gallop before travelling to Cheltenham in his bid to justify favouritism in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle on March 14.

BRAVE INCA is now clear favourite for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham following yet another superb performance in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

DESSIE HUGHES is in a bullish mood ahead of Hardy Eustace’s rematch with Macs Joy and Brave Inca in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown tomorrow.

BRAVE INCA can take another giant step towards possible Cheltenham glory by landing the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Dual Smurfit Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace is down to 5-2 with totesport for a third success in the Cheltenham event after fellow Irish raider Feathard Lady was finally ruled out.

HARDY EUSTACE was reported to be in fine shape ahead of the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle on Sunday.

IF ever a horse was aptly named it is surely Brave Inca.

BRAVE INCA is the choice to outbattle Harchibald in the featured bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Connections of Brave Inca are hoping for more Grade One glory in the Ballymore Properties Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

MUST confess to mild surprise that Brave Inca wasn’t promoted to outright favouritism for the Champion Hurdle, following that performance at Punchestown on Sunday.

Brave Inca and Harchibald are set to clash in a mouth-watering renewal of the Maple Development Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

CONNECTIONS of Brave Inca have abandoned plans to go chasing with the Champion Hurdle third and will plot another campaign over timber.