Inca on course for AIG double
Colm Murphy’s crack hurdler defeated Macs Joy by a length last January, having gone down by a short head to that horse 12 months earlier.
And the pair are set to clash for the third year running in the Grade One contest over two miles.
“It’s all systems go for Sunday and please God, he seems good,” said Murphy.
Brave Inca was last seen in public scoring over Sunday’s course and distance in the December Festival Hurdle by a length and a quarter from Iktitaf.
“He’s back in full work and God willing he’ll run well,” added the trainer.
The AIG will be Brave Inca’s last run before he tries to win the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle for the second successive year.
Meanwhile, Paul Nolan will leave it until the last moment before deciding whether Kymandjen will make his third successive appearance in the Ellen Construction Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park on Thursday.
The 10-year-old, who has been out of action since the Irish Grand National in April, was short-headed by Numbersixvalverde in the three-mile feature in 2005, but was pulled up when Dun Doire scored 12 months ago.
Should Kymandjen be withdrawn Nolan will not be represented as he ruled out his other entry, Mcevoy, way out of the handicap proper.
“My only runner might be Kymandjen,” said Nolan. “He’s not 100% certain, but if he gets a clean bill of health on Wednesday morning he will be declared to run in the Thyestes.
“We’ve had problems with him. Unfortunately he’s been difficult but he’s seems to be good at the moment.
“It’s going to be tough for him on the testing ground as he’s been off the track for so long and we haven’t brought him away from home anywhere to try to keep him right.
“He’ll more than likely come on an awful lot from the run, but if he’s healthy we’ll run him.”
