Murphy upbeat about Fethard Lady
The impressive winner of the Stan James Christmas Hurdle is currently being box-rested after injuring her off-hind fetlock joint, but Wexford-based Murphy rates her prospects for Cheltenham as better than 50-50.
“The AIG will come too quick for her, but Brave Inca will run in that,” said Murphy. “She is coming along grand, but the next week will tell us more.
“She is being box-rested, but we will start cantering her as soon as we can and she is improving. The next week will be important.
“It is just bad timing, but I would say her odds are better than 50-50 for Cheltenham, where Ruby (Walsh) will hopefully keep the ride.”
Murphy added he hoped Tony McCoy will be aboard Brave Inca in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 29, but that his availability for Cheltenham rested on his commitments to JP McManus, who has Lingo entered for the race.
* NOEL MEADE hopes to issue an update on stable star Harchibald today.
The star hurdler has been pleasing vets at Troytown Hospital as he recovers from an operation last Sunday to remove a piece of birch from his off-hind pastern.
Meade said: “I haven’t spoken to the vets since last Monday. As we said, we will just leave it unless there is good or bad news.
“They’ve been happy with his progress though and we couldn’t have wished for it to go any better.
“I will speak to them tomorrow and we will have a better idea where we are.
“I’m hoping they might even let me take him home.”
Harchibald, a runner-up in last season’s Champion Hurdle, is believed to have sustained the injury when finishing second to Brave Inca in the bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown.
* JESSICA HARRINGTON has yet to decide whether to run Moscow Flyer before defending his crown in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 15.
Although the 12-year-old has been beaten on his last three racecourse appearances, Harrington would have no qualms about sending her stable star to Cheltenham without a prep run.
“We’ve really made no decisions yet but he seems to be getting back and is in good form,” Harrington said.
“We are lucky as so many good horses have got hurt recently.
“He hasn’t been quite running up to form but we’ve still got four wheels on our wagon and if we can get him back to form with a bit of sun on his back, we’ll turn up for Cheltenham.
“Whether he runs between now and Cheltenham he’ll tell us - it will be up to him,” the County Kildare handler told At The Races.
* CENTRAL HOUSE, beaten by jockey error last time, is set to return to action at Fairyhouse next Sunday.
The nine-year-old was in the lead with 100 yards to go in the Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown when his rider Roger Loughran mistook the winning post and eventually passed the line in third place behind Hi Cloy.
Central House also holds an entry in the MacLochlainn Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles on Thursday in which he was second to Rathgar Beau 12 months ago.
However, that race is over two and a half miles while the Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse next Sunday is over two miles, and trainer Dessie Hughes wants the horse to stick to that trip.
He said: “He’s going to Fairyhouse next weekend and he seems in great form.”
Central House had won his two previous races before his controversial defeat at Leopardstown and is a 10-1 chance for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Hughes also reported dual Champion Hurdle hero Hardy Eustace to be in fine shape and on course the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 29.
“He’s in great form and he’ll come back here here for the AIG. He did it very well last time,” he added.
Hardy Eustace won over two and a half miles at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve in his first race since lifting his second Champion Hurdle.
* WILLIE MULLINS has confirmed Missed That in great form and on course for the Baileys Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup Novice Chase at Leopardstown later this month.
The Champion Bumper hero flopped on his debut over fences at Thurles in December, but rapidly got the hang of things subsequently with wins at Navan and in Grade One company at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day.
“He’s on target for the Arkle (January 29) and I’ve been very pleased with him since Christmas,” Mullins said.
“It was a big surprise how he improved for his three races, but I was delighted with him.
“I don’t know whether he will run again in between the Irish Arkle and Cheltenham. We will just have to see how he is after the race. He’ll definitely run in the Arkle at Cheltenham (rather than SunAlliance Chase).”
