News: Colm Murphy hasn't ruled out giving his Champion Hurdle winner Brave Inca a run in the Aintree Hurdle next month ahead of a likely attempt on the championship race at the Punchestown festival.

Ridden by Tony McCoy, the 7 to 4 favourite returned to one of the biggest cheers at the Cheltenham Festival after his game one-length success from Macs Joy.

Murphy reports that his stable star has come out of last week's Cheltenham festival "exceptionally well" and options are open where he will go next. "We are delighted with him. He is in great order. At this stage Punchestown is his target but he has come out of Cheltenham is such good form though that Aintree is an option."

Murphy also refused to rule out the possibility of going chasing with his stable star - an option that had been mooted earlier in the season.

He added: "We haven't discussed going chasing with him for a while and we'll see how we get on at Punchestown. I'll have a chat with the owners before we rule anything out."

Murphy, however, also reported that his other star hurdler, Feathard Lady, will not run again this season after a leg injury ruled her out of Cheltenham.

"She is back in work again but it's very unlikely she will go to Punchestown now. We would really have had to push on with her and it's going to come a little bit too quick. The great thing is that we will have her back for next season.

"We have no plans to keep her away from Brave Inca as they are owned by different people so they will probably clash somewhere along the line," he said.

The three-day Fairyhouse festival will take place from April 16th to 18th, with the €250,000 Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National the traditional Easter Monday highlight.

This year the 100,000 Powers Gold Cup has been moved to the opening day, Easter Sunday, with the 130,000 Menolly Homes Handicap Hurdle the feature on the third day.