Brave preparing for Champion battle

Brave Inca is having a relatively easy time before beginning the final preparations in his bid to regain the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

The 2006 Cheltenham hero showed he was no back number when winning the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle at the age of 11 last month at Leopardstown.

“He’s very good and has gone very fresh again,” said trainer Colm Murphy.

“We won’t do much with him for a week or two then we’ll kick on again and it will be all systems go for Cheltenham.

“He’s wonderful, he’s an amazing horse and keeps surprising us.”

Brave Inca, who missed the Festival through injury last year, was third in 2005 and second in 2007. He is a best-priced 25-1 for Champion Hurdle honours again on March 10.

Murphy is also eyeing Cheltenham for Clew Bay Cove after he was a staying-on third behind I’msingingtheblues in the williamhill.com Handicap Chase at Doncaster on Saturday.

“He ran a blinder, he just got a little outpaced early on and was doing his best at the finish,” Murphy went on.

“I’m not quite sure where we’ll go with him next, there aren’t that many races for him over here.

“I believe there is a race at Cheltenham for him and the track might suit him better.

“We’ll keep our options open, but I think two miles on a stiff track is probably where we’ll go. We’ve tried him over further and he doesn’t seem to get home.”