Brave Inca looks safest option in final-day festival feature

LEOPARDSTOWN PREVIEW:SIZING EUROPE'S sore foot might deny Leopardstown fans a likely winner of the final-day festival feature, but it does open the opportunity for a rare nostalgia fest at the Co Dublin track.

The trio of Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca and Sublimity represent a three-pack of Champion Hurdle winners and a very visible reminder of when Ireland's top hurdlers dominated this sphere of the sport.

They are among nine declarations for the Leopardstown Golf Centre December Festival Hurdle, and another Grade One victory for any of them would guarantee a huge reception.

The chances of that happening will improve dramatically if Sizing Europe cannot start, and there appears to be a real threat to the AIG winner's participation after he pulled out lame from his box yesterday morning.

"He has a bruised foot. We have declared him but he is not a certain starter," Sizing Europe's trainer, Henry de Bromhead, said yesterday.

This continues Sizing Europe's bad run of luck with the €90,000 event, as he was due to run in it last year only for an unsatisfactory scope 48 hours beforehand ruled him out.

The memory of last season's AIG victory is still warm enough to encourage most people to view Sizing Europe as this country's top hurdler at his best, but even without him there are any number of interesting threads running through today's race.

Drying ground should be perfect for Hardy Eustace, while Sublimity will be attempting to go one better than his Fighting Fifth second to Punjabi.

However, more interest than most will still centre on Brave Inca. The 2006 Champion Hurdle winner has twice landed today's race with Ruby Walsh on board, who is back in the plate this afternoon.

An 18-month injury absence ended in spectacular fashion at Fairyhouse when only Catch Me prevented a perfect return to action in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle.

Even Colm Murphy was surprised by the quality of the comeback and he immediately put on the back-burner any thoughts of stepping Brave Inca up to three miles.

Instead there was only anticipation of how much the famously tough ex-champion will improve for that run and an eagerness to see how he will get on against hurdling's new guard.

A not inconsiderable plus for Brave Inca will be the red-hot form currently enjoyed by the Murphy yard in general, but there will be a little unease in places about how the horse will perform a month after such a comeback run.

The famous "bounce" theory, where a horse runs well after a long lay-off only to disappoint next time out, has its devotees, and on the face of it Brave Inca looks to tick the boxes. However, toughness has been a consistent factor throughout his career and Murphy is confident the month between races is long enough. He has also been very happy with the horse in general recently.

The last time Brave Inca saw Sublimity it was as the ex-flat star shot clear of him up the final Cheltenham hill at the 2007 festival.

Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace didn't help each other's cause on that famous day by cutting out a ferocious gallop which allowed Philip Carberry to stalk on Sublimity.

Tactics will be fascinating again today, but if Sizing Europe isn't around to upset the old guard, then Brave Inca has usually represented the safest policy around Leopardstown.

Shirley Casper has the Hughes factor

THE WORLD'S top flat race tracks might be a more normal working environment for Richard Hughes, but the multiple Group One-winning jockey can prove a key factor in Shirley Casper winning today's main support event at Leopardstown, writes Brian O'Connor.

Trained by Hughes's father, Dessie, Shirley Casper has yet to win in three starts over jumps, but should still hold a big shout in the €40,000 Listed Mares Hurdle.

Formerly in the care of Philip Fenton, Shirley Casper was a Grade Two-winning bumper performer who managed to run fourth in a Cheltenham bumper and hopes have been high for her over hurdles.

Not surprisingly, she has run well over obstacles, including when runner-up to Persian City at Punchestown earlier this month.

That was on testing ground, but there is reason to believe the better surface will suit her better this time, and while two and a half miles might be further than ideal a patient hold-up ride will negate that.

There is nobody better on the level in such circumstances than Hughes, who is keeping his hand in riding for his father during the holiday period.

Give It Time has to concede 10lb to Shirley Casper but will still be a major player judged by a good third to Shakervilz at Navan, and Pomme Tiepy will be hoping to regain losses after finishing only third at Cork.

Corskeagh Royale has proved expensive to follow over hurdles in two starts to date and last season's Cheltenham bumper runner-up tries again in the two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle.

This will be no easy task, however, against Edward O'Grady's hope, Judge Roy Bean, who was only beaten a neck by On The Way Out on his last start at Fairyhouse.

Last July's GPT-winning combination of Majestic Concorde and Robbie McNamara take their chance in the Beginners Chase, where the former Grade One winner Travino returns to action.