News: The Brave Inca team yesterday tried to play down the possible influence of Leopardstown's inside course on next week's bewleyshotels.com Festival Hurdle but trainer Colm Murphy also conceded the track will not be ideal for his stable star.
Brave Inca is scheduled to clash with the current Smurfit Champion Hurdle favourite Harchibald in the Grade One feature on the final day of Leopardstown's Christmas Festival.
A total of 10 horses were left in the race at yesterday's forfeit stage and they include the English-trained Intersky Falcon as well as the Tote Trophy and Pierse Hurdle winner, Essex.
However, another clash between Brave Inca and Harchibald would be a big draw, especially on the back of last month's Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown when the Noel Meade-trained horse was stopped in his run.
Brave Inca has since been beaten by Solerina in the Hatton's Grace but has emerged in good shape from that effort and will now try and go one better than last year when he was runner-up to Mac's Joy in the Bewleys.
The inside course at Leopardstown though is generally regarded as being a speed track which would be perceived as favouring the likes of Harchibald rather than his big rival.
"I'm not sure what difference it makes going on the inside. It's still nearly two miles. But ideally we would love to race on the outside course," Murphy said yesterday.
"I also remember last year they ran a maiden hurdle with 30 runners before us which is something you would prefer not to see happening. But the ground looks like it will be good and we believe our horse is better on better ground," he added.
Murphy has also left in his unbeaten mare Feathard Lady in the Bewleys race but she is pencilled in for a first trip abroad and a place in the Christmas Hurdle at Sandown on St Stephen's Day.
"If Ruby (Walsh) is available we would love him to ride her," the trainer said.
The chances of that happening improved yesterday when Walsh reported that he had passed a medical examination for the dislocated shoulder he suffered at Navan earlier in the month.
The champion jockey rode out in the morning and was optimistic afterwards: "It's not one hundred per cent sure yet but it looks like I'll be at Sandown on Monday, Chepstow on Tuesday and Leopardstown for the last two days there," he said.
