Racing: Colm Murphy has revealed that Champion Hurdler Brave Inca is far from a certain runner in the Grade One ACC Bank Champion Hurdle because of the drying ground at Punchestown.
Good going has been maintained at the Festival so far due to watering after racing but Murphy would have no hesitation in pulling his stable star out of the race.
The eight-year-old landed the race last year by a head from Harchibald with Macs Joy a further length back in third but despite fears about the fast ground, Murphy says the champion is in fine form.
"He seems in great order and I couldn't be happier with him," revealed Murphy. "We've freshened him up since Cheltenham and he's in great nick. I just hope that the ground will be okay for him tomorrow.
"We've bypassed Aintree this year with the intention of keeping him fresh for this race so hopefully it pays dividends. He's going there a pretty fresh horse but the ground doesn't want to get any quicker for him you know.
"I would have no qualms at all about pulling him out if the ground gets any quicker than it is at the moment."
The horse Brave Inca deposed as Champion Hurdler was Hardy Eustace who had won the previous two renewals at Cheltenham, however the former champion has had something of an interrupted season.
After winning his seasonal reappearance at Punchestown he than finished last in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown when it was later revealed he was a sick horse.
Despite missing his prep run for Cheltenham he ran with great credit finishing third and he has since gone on to finish second at Aintree behind super mare Asian Maze.
And Dessie Hughes believes his charge should now be reaching his peak. "He is in terrific form and is very well," said Hughes. "He has been to both Aintree and Cheltenham but he should be fresh enough and he will love the ground."
Meanwhile, Noel Meade's Cheltenham Festival hero Nicanor heads 10 entries for the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles.
Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle winner lowered the colours of the previously-unbeaten Denman at Prestbury Park, powering his way to a two-and-a-half length victory.
Jonjo O'Neill's Refinement, third in the Cheltenham contest and most impressive when winning an Aintree handicap last time, will again take on Nicanor in the Grade One event.
The consistent Mounthenry is set to take his chance for Charles Byrnes, who also saddles Powerstation.
Mossbank, who will be ridden by Guinness Gold Cup winner Conor O'Dwyer, is on a retrieval mission after losing his form in the second half of the season, while the Mags Mullins-trained Travino is also declared - but is due to run in
the Whitewater Champion Stayers' Hurdle this afternoon.
Conna Castle, Justpourit, Vic Venturi and Parliament Square complete the line-up.