Murphy: soft ground will be no hurdle to Inca
Conditions at Cheltenham rode good to soft 12 months ago when the nine-year-old dug deepest of all for Tony McCoy to repel Macs Joy by a length in a thriller.
The prospect of very testing ground loomed large after a wet few weeks, but Murphy said: “I walked the track and the ground isn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.
“It is drying weather and if it keeps on drying it shouldn’t be too bad by 3.15pm tomorrow.
“I would say it is genuinely soft ground at the moment, but it is better than anything he has run on all season and he should handle it.”
Brave Inca has enjoyed a break since going down by three lengths to Hardy Eustace in the AIG Hurdle at Leopardstown, having posted one of his most stylish wins under new partner Ruby Walsh over Christmas.
Murphy added: “Ruby rode him at the Curragh on Monday morning and his preparation has gone as well in the past. He seems to be in top form and we are hopeful.”
Dessie Hughes believes Hardy Eustace could be in even finer shape than he was before his previous two victories in the £360,000 contest.
Third last year, having taken the prize in 2004 and 2005, the popular gelding was back to winning ways quicker than usual this term.
“The horse got here on Sunday morning and has settled in well — he’s a great traveller,” said Hughes, who won the race as a rider aboard Monksfield in 1979.
“He’s in just as good form as he was before his other wins in the Champion. In fact he’s even better really, if you look at his form.
“The ground is better than we expected and there will be plenty of pace — we don’t have to make the running but we can if we want, I will leave all that to Conor O’Dwyer.”
Hughes is taking nothing for granted against the likes of Detroit City and old adversary Brave Inca.
He added: “It looks his toughest Champion Hurdle yet but the job is done now and we’re looking forward to it — he’ll certainly run well.”
Detroit City’s owner Terry Warner is brimming with confidence as his galloping grey bids to extend his unbeaten run of eight races, which includes the Cesarewitch on the flat.
The youngster, who heads the market, won a hot renewal of the Triumph Hurdle last year and Warner is confident he has improved enough to pull off the double — even though a five-year-old has not won the race since See You Then in 1985: “If he gets the run of the race tomorrow he will win comfortably.”
McCoy will this year partner Straw Bear for retained owner JP McManus and the Nick Gifford-trained six-year-old bounced back to form in the Kingwell Hurdle last time after adopting front-running tactics.
Having been beaten by Detroit City last month, McCoy said: “We’ll have to see what I do on the day to help him (turn the form round). “Hopefully, he would have a good chance."
