Inca unlikely to make Sunday return

Brave Inca is unlikely to take his chance in Sunday’s Maplewood Developments Hurdle at Punchestown with trainer Colm Murphy electing to bide his time with the 2006 Champion Hurdle hero.

The 10-year-old has been off the track since April 2007 due to injury but Murphy had been hoping his nine-time Grade One winner would be ready to return at the weekend.

However, the gelding is taking longer to come to hand than Murphy anticipated and he could now head to Fairyhouse on November 30 for the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.

“It’s very unlikely that Brave Inca will run at the weekend as he is taking a while to get to full fitness,” said the County Wexford handler.

“About a month a go we took it easy with him for a couple of weeks and this race is just coming a week or two early I think.

“He will work in the morning and we will make a definite decision then but I will probably want to get a bit more work into him before he runs.

“The Hatton’s Grace could be a possible starting point but we will see nearer the time.”