Brave Inca is set to become the third of Ireland's major Cheltenham Festival winners to follow up at Punchestown this week, when he renews rivalry with Macs Joy and Hardy Eustace in the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle.
This was the race last year in which Brave Inca beat Harchibald to cement his reputation as one of the best and toughest hurdlers in the business. He has gone from strength to strength since then, suffering only a single defeat this season when tackling a longer trip at Fairyhouse.
At this stage the admirable Macs Joy, who has come out worst in their last five meetings, must be sick of getting a rear view of him, and Jessica Harrington's runner may have to settle for second again.
The only real concern for supporters of Brave Inca is that trainer Colm Murphy might be tempted to withdraw him if he thinks the ground has become unsuitably fast.
It has generally been a good week for the Cheltenham winners, with Newmill, War Of Attrition and Whyso Mayo winning, and Hairy Molly finishing second, and Nicanor should add his name to that roll of honour in the Grade 1 novice hurdle.
He had Refinement back in third at Cheltenham, and can confirm form with the mare who has since franked the form at Aintree.
The Irish Grand National runner-up Oulart gets a chance to prove that he is a progressive type in the betfair.com Novice Handicap Chase and should exploit the weight-concession from Church Island.
Female stands out in the mares' bumper by virtue of a good run in the Cheltenham bumper, though a doubt about the current form of the stable is a slight worry.