Inca preferred in Champion clash
Colm Murphy’s tough customer comes here in the form of his life and is fancied to beat Hardy Eustace, who is without the blinkers which he wore when winning the last two runnings of the Champion Hurdle at Prestbury Park.
Brave Inca warmed up for this test when sloshing his way through unsuitably testing ground to outstay Harchibald to the tune of three lengths at Leopardstown at Christmas.
Hardy Eustace enjoyed a gentle seasonal debut at Punchestown, easily beating the old-timer Native Upmanship and only other opponent, Tawrific Laois.
One imagines Dessie Hughes will have left a bit to work on with Hardy Eustace and, for now at least, Brave Inca is preferred.
The Bailey’s Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup brings together three high-class candidates in Justified, Nickname and Missed That.
Nickname made a huge impression on his Irish debut when proving far too good for Our Ben on this track.
Martin Brassil’s French import didn’t look quite so awesome subsequently, also at Leopardstown, however, when looking a tired horse from the final fence, even if he did win by 11 lengths.
Justifed scored for the first time left-handed when beating Cornish Sett at Newbury and this will tell us whether he really has to travel in the other direction to produce his best.
Missed That has a bit to find, but is very progressive and could easily prove the solution. Justifed is the hopeful choice.
Nicanor gets the nap in the P J Walls Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle, despite meeting a shock defeat at 1-6 at Navan last time, where he was collared close home and beaten a head by Bob Hall.
That form should be totally discounted.
They crawled for much of the journey and the selection was always going to be vulnerable in a contest run that way over two miles.
Noel Meade’s gelding is far better judged on his previous effort at Navan when beaten a neck by Travino.
Nicanor has to be fancied to reverse the placings on 9lbs more favourable terms.
Lord Lumey, possibly in front too early when runner-up behind Whitehills on his debut at Leopardstown, can do the business for Meade in the Robert Clarkson Memorial Bumper.
Meade can provide us with a winning nap at Navan this afternoon with Snow Tern in the 30-runner Wilkinstown Maiden Hurdle.
Hugely impressive when taking a Leopardstown bumper, Snow Tern will surely come on plenty for his length second to King Johns Castle over flights at Naas subsequently.
Pierse Hurdle second No Where To Hyde, even if two miles is a trifle on the short side, can take the Haydock Park and Newcastle Racecourses Hurdle.
