Feathard Lady 'back on track'

Colm Murphy is hoping to firm up comeback plans for Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle hope Feathard Lady at the end of the month.

The seven-year-old, who is unbeaten in seven career starts, has been off the track since scoring by 12 lengths in the 2005 Christmas Hurdle at Sandown.

Feathard Lady missed the rest of last season after spraining a fetlock joint and suffered a further setback at the beginning of the current campaign.

Murphy reports the Accordion mare to be progressing well, however, although he will not be rushed into making any plans for her return.

“It’s going well – she’s back on track, you might say,” said the County Wexford handler.

“She’s in full work but we won’t really know where we are until the end of the month and whether we will get a run into her before Cheltenham or not. It’s a case of so far, so good but we won’t be making any plans until the end of January. She’s going well enough and luckily she doesn’t need too much work.”

Murphy also issued an upbeat bulletin on reigning champion hurdler Brave Inca after his gritty success in the bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle. The nine-year-old was completing a Grade One double after taking the Hatton’s Grace on his previous start.

Murphy is now eyeing a hat-trick in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle on January 28.

“He’s super and has been in really good order since Leopardstown. It’s all systems go for the AIG with him,” Murphy added.