Inca handed Leopardstown target

Colm Murphy is targeting the Bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle with Brave Inca after he finished a narrow third at Fairyhouse.

A winner at Punchestown in November, the seven-year-old was beaten just over a length in the Ballymore Properties Hatton’s Grace Hurdle despite finding the ground too heavy.

Murphy reports Brave Inca to be in fine form after the outing and will gear him towards the Grade One event at Leopardstown on December 29.

“He’s come out of it absolutely grand and we are delighted with him,” said the County Wexford-based handler.

“He’s in the field now and doesn’t look to have even had a run.

“It was a carbon-copy of last year’s run when he hated the ground and never really travelled or jumped but at the same time he ran an absolute cracker considering all that.

“He’s sure to come on for that and the run will only bring him on in leaps and bounds.

“All being well, the plan is to go Leopardstown over Christmas.”