Inca the bravest of them all
Champion Hurdle hero Brave Inca slogged through the Fairyhouse mud to win the rescheduled Ballymore Properties Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at the third time of asking.
Colm Murphy’s teak-tough eight-year-old had to make do with minor honours behind Solerina in the last two renewals of this Grade One contest.
But despite running in conditions that were far from ideal, Tony McCoy nudged and cajoled his mount to a three-quarters-of-a-length victory from Rosaker, with odds-on favourite Asian Maze a disappointing fourth.
Sent off the 100-30 second-favourite, McCoy niggled Brave Inca along from before the halfway stage as Noel Meade’s Rosaker (10-1) took them along at a moderate gallop.
Asian Maze was travelling well enough in second, but soon downed tools once the pace quickened four from home.
Murphy’s charge gained a narrow lead at the third-last and although Rosaker staged a late rally on the run-in, Paul Carberry’s mount could not catch Brave Inca, whose appetite for a scrap proved decisive.
Brogella, the outsider of the quintet, finished third, while Al Eile ran no sort of race and came home last.
Murphy said: “He has had a hard race today. The ground was not ideal, but he stuck to his guns well. He’ll know he’s had that run. We are always a bit worried about giving him too hard a race at this time of year, but I am delighted with that.
“The Morgiana wasn’t ideal as they went a true gallop and he got found out for fitness. He should come again from this.
“Tony said he wasn’t doing a tap – he never seems to travel on his own and small fields don’t suit him.
“The next race will be the Bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas (December 29). If he gets back to Cheltenham in half as good form they will know they have had a race.”
But Murphy was far from happy with the condition of the track.
He said: “It was a disgrace they ran the maiden hurdle. We have always tried to do the best for him, that’s why I am so mad.”
McCoy added: “He benefited from his run in the Morgiana and that was a better race than in previous years.
“He battled well today and it helped that Barry (Geraghty) looked after him the last time.
“The conditions were not ideal but he’s a hard horse. He’s getting older and a bit cuter.
“He’s an amazing horse and still the best.”
As a consequence of his battling triumph, Brave Inca was cut to 9-2 from 5-1 by totesport to win the Champion Hurdle.
Spokesman Damian Walker said: “Brave Inca hated every yard of that slog and we have cut his Champion Hurdle odds as he is back to winning form.
“Third-placed Brogella casts some sort of doubt over the form as she is rated just 137 over hurdles, while Asian Maze was beaten too far out for that to be her true running.”
William Hurdle were far from impressed, however, and eased Brave Inca to 7-1 from 6-1 to defend his crown at the Festival, with VC Bet and Cashmans unchanged at 11-2 and 5-1 respectively.
