What can beat Brave Inca in Champion Hurdle?
Answer - and you should arrive at such a conclusion in the proverbial flash - nothing. Not since Istabraq retired have I been so convinced about the likely outcome of a major race.
The only worry about having a half-decent wager right now is that the contest is almost six weeks away and the possibility of something happening to Brave Inca in the meantime should not be discounted.
But in the near future bookmakers, whose going to be first to throw the old hat into the ring, will offer prices ‘with a run’ and then you can lump on Brave Inca as often as you like.
Colm Murphy said at Leopardstown on Sunday that Tony McCoy has made a huge difference and all the evidence backs up that particular theory.
Front-running tactics were first adopted on Brave Inca when McCoy threw his leg over the horse for the first time at the Punchestown Festival last April.
On several occasions since then McCoy has shown there is very much a correct way to partner the eight-year-old.
You don’t necessarily have to make the running, but essentially need to be on the pace. McCoy always has him perfectly placed and seems to know precisely when the time is right to make the burst for the judge.
If he is claimed to partner Lingo at Cheltenham, then that would be a savage loss and the seriousness of breaking up such a double-act should not be underestimated.
But if Ruby Walsh was to replace McCoy, Murphy now says he’s the obvious choice and hopefully will be long back from injury by then, I would have no hesitation backing Brave Inca.
Walsh is as clever off a horse as on and you can be absolutely certain he has watched and noted everything McCoy has done on Brave Inca thus far.
There is no doubt that Hardy Eustace at his best would rate the biggest danger, you don’t win two Champion Hurdles without having real quality.
But he is now under a cloud and had only two necks to spare over Brave Inca in last year’s Champion Hurdle.
There are those making a case for Macs Joy, but can you see him facing the hill as well as Brave Inca?
I don’t know, I just wish the layers would hurry up with the money-back if your horse doesn’t run concession so that we can get on with taking the 5-2 about Brave Inca.
UNDERESTIMATE Missed That’s Cheltenham Arkle prospects at your peril. I’d say if most punters were given the chance of backing him at 100-1 for the Arkle, following his debut over fences at Thurles in December, the offer would have been politely declined.
But Missed That has improved out of all recognition in the meantime and is a street-fighter who does just enough.
He gives the impression he will beat a bad horse in the same manner as a good horse and showed, when winning the Bumper at Cheltenham, the hill holds no fears.
You would, of course, like to see him jump better in the first half of a race and he took plenty of time to warm up at Leopardstown. But if still in contention down hill to the straight at Cheltenham, you’d doubt too many coming home better than him.
nI THOUGHT Nicanor was good at Leopardstown, but it was interesting to note Ladbrokes’ reaction to his 11 lengths defeat of Travino.
They were way out of line with a 14-1 quote about him winning Cheltenham’s SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle and that had only shortened marginally to 12-1 on Tuesday.
I like Nicanor a lot and am totally convinced he is a horse with a very big future. The problem is whether, at this stage, he is in the same league as Paul Nicholls’ Denman? He has looked a machine so far and I know is regarded as the real deal in a yard chockful of talent.
Denman started here in Ireland when winning his only point at Liscaroll by eight lengths last March.
That was some hot contest, considering Snow Tern, winner of a Leopardstown bumper and a maiden hurdle at Navan on Saturday, was third.
* EVERY newcomer Willie Mullins brings out in bumpers in the coming weeks will be the medium of huge scrutiny. If he has one better than Sunday’s Leopardstown winner, Equus Maximus, then wouldn’t you just love to know the name?
Equus Maximus beat Lord Lumey a cosy two lengths and, I think, the latter is a horse we will want on our side next time!
