RACING: Brave Inca is on course to return to action at Punchestown later this month after just failing to land back-to-back victories in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The nine-year-old is more likely to try to win the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle on April 27 for a second time rather than step up to three miles in the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Stayers' Hurdle a day earlier.
He took the shorter event in 2005 but was pushed into second place by Mac's Joy last spring.
"I wouldn't rule the Stayers' out but it's more likely he'll run in the two-miler," said trainer Colm Murphy.
"We'll give him an entry in the Stayers' Hurdle as it will give us the option and it's the same prize money.
"Unfortunately, he's one of those horses you have to put the gun to his head early over two miles. You just wonder if three miles would suit him better, but if you take Sublimity out of it he would have won another Champion Hurdle.
"I think Brave Inca is as good as ever. He seems in serious order and he came out of Cheltenham really well."
Ruby Walsh replaced Brave Inca's regular pilot Tony McCoy at Cheltenham and Murphy said it was too early to predict who would be in the saddle at Punchestown.
"I don't know at this stage who will ride him. If Ruby is available, I'm sure he'll want to take the ride. It's a bit early to say with all their commitments," the County Wexford trainer told At The Races.
"There are a lot of top-class jockeys out there. He's a straightforward ride and a jockey's dream. I don't know what all the fuss is about with him."