Punchestown and Cork previews: Barry Geraghty will be just the fifth jockey to ride the champion hurdler Brave Inca when he returns to action in tomorrow's Grade One feature at Punchestown.
With Tony McCoy claimed by his boss, JP McManus, at Aintree, Brave Inca's trainer Colm Murphy has elected to use Geraghty in the Grade One Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle.
"Tony obviously was our first choice but when he was ruled out, we went for the best available. That's the way we've always done it and that's the way it will continue," Murphy said yesterday.
Ironically it was Geraghty that master-minded a dramatic defeat on Brave Inca's last start when the former champion jockey powered clear of his new partner on Macs Joy last April.
He now follows in the steps of McCoy, who has won five of his seven races on Brave Inca, and Barry Cash who rode the horse on 13 occasions. Kieren Gaule and the amateur PJ Colville both rode him twice.
Brave Inca won the Morgiana last year and again clashes with the champion chaser Newmill as well as the top stayer Asian Maze, who is undefeated in four starts at Punchestown. The rising star Iktitaf represents Noel Meade instead of Harchibald but Murphy believes his horse is in better shape for this year's renewal.
"I'd like to think he is a little more forward. He came in a little earlier this year," he said. "In a way it's good that the ground will be heavy because he will know he has had a race. Asian Maze has bucked along in front in the past but if she doesn't, then I wouldn't worry too much about our horse having to make it."
The main support event at Punchestown will be the Grade Two Volkswagen Craddockstown Chase and it looks a good opportunity for the triple point to point winner Conna Castle to get off the mark over fences.
Ruby Walsh got some flak for his ride on the Jimmy Mangan horse at Galway behind Vic Venturi but Mangan had stressed beforehand the race would bring on his new star and the benefit of the outing should show up now.
Geraghty's mount Sky's The Limit should also strip sharper for his chase debut but two miles may be shorter than ideal for a Coral Cup winner.
Knight Legend will be a major threat in the following Beginners Chase but testing conditions will be ideal for the dour-staying Toofarback whose run behind Gazza's Girl at Galway was quite encouraging.
The top chaser Hi Cloy attempts to use his hurdles mark in the two-mile handicap but topweight will still be hard for him and Valley Of Giants looks a contender at the other end of the scale.
Conor O'Dwyer goes to Cork tomorrow and the move can pay off for the jockey on board Vedelle in the Beginners Chase.
However, the best bet down south could be in the handicap hurdle with Pacolet who made Finger Onthe Pulse pull out all the stops at Naas last time.
Best World only got as far as the third at Downpatrick on Wednesday but can get quick compensation in the two-mile chase.
