Leopardstown Preview: If Brave Inca is feeling any sense of pique at all the attention being paid to his stable companion Feathard Lady this Christmas then today's Leopardstown feature looks a good opportunity for him to reassert his authority.
The Gorey trainer Colm Murphy is now in the enviable position of having two genuine Champion Hurdle candidates after Feathard Lady's unbeaten streak continued in spectacular style at Sandown on Monday.
Bookmaker reaction was swift with Ladbrokes making the mare a 6 to 1 chance for Cheltenham, a point shorter than her famous stablemate. Whether that will remain the case after this afternoon is debatable though.
Admittedly Brave Inca looks to have a much more difficult task than Feathard Lady with his old rival, and current 4 to 1 Cheltenham favourite, Harchibald, in the field along with last year's winner Macs Joy and the high-class Essex.
Throw in the likely outsider Newmill and the bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle is a rerun of last month's controversial Morgiana at Punchestown, where Brave Inca emerged best after foiling Harchibald's ambitious run up the inner.
Today's race will answer some of the questions thrown up by that contest and even though there are a considerable number of factors that look to be in favour of some Harchibald revenge, it might not be as clear-cut as first appears.
Leopardstown's inside hurdles course famously favours speed and that is the one indisputable about Harchibald's armoury. No obvious pace is another plus for Noel Meade's enigmatic star, who will be able to outkick anything from the last.
However, the evidence of the week so far at Leopardstown is that the testing ground is heavily favouring stamina, and if it comes down to a tight struggle up the straight, Brave Inca and Tony McCoy look the partnership to have on your side.
There will be considerable interest in the fencing debut of Our Ben in the Beginners Chase and current 20 to 1 odds for the SunAlliance might look generous if the Willie Mullins horse performs to expectations.
The six-year-old's hurdles form tended to fluctuate but almost immediately after a fine third in the SunAlliance Hurdle, Mullins was pointing Our Ben towards a Cheltenham return.
Two of his worst runs came at Fairyhouse, but Our Ben is going left-handed today and has the potential to make a serious impact over the bigger obstacles.
Johnny Murtagh's impact on Leopardstown over the years includes triumphs on board the likes of flat superstars like Timarida and Sinndar. But the triple Derby-winning jockey can make a mark on the Christmas festival courtesy of Maxxium in the conditions hurdle.
Michael Halford's four-year-old returned from an eight-month absence to win impressively at Navan earlier this month and the runner-up, Arch Rebel, has already won this week at Limerick.
The margin doesn't accurately reflect the impression Maxxium made that day and he looks one to keep on the right side of, especially on testing ground.
Adrian Maguire's finest moment around the Foxrock track as a rider was possibly Fortune And Fame's 1994 AIG Champion Hurdle triumph but Celestial Wave can provide him with a training success today in the listed mares' hurdle.
Maguire wasn't shy in talking up Celestial Wave after she won at Clonmel last month and this race has been the plan since.
Dermot Weld unveils a very interesting bumper newcomer in Admiral's Call, who races in the Lisaleen Farms colours of the 1996 Gold Cup hero Imperial Call. A bold showing is expected.
Carndale won over the course and distance of the Opportunity Chase last year and returns now on the back of a return to form at Navan last time. This trip should suit better and the blinkers are in place.
