Brave Inca - gets on well with AP (Getty Images).
McCOY FACES BRAVE DECISION
By Carl Llewellyn
Brave Inca produced another gutsy performance to win the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown and proved once again how tough and resolute he is. I thought he was going to be beaten when they turned into the straight but just kept finding more and I think he and AP McCoy are a very good combination - they are as tough as each other. He is a worthy favourite for the Champion Hurdle now but perhaps a short enough price for just beating Macs Joy. AP could be claimed for Lingo at Cheltenham and that could make a big difference to Brave Inca. There is a fair chance that Lingo will run so whether he will ask owner JP McManus if he can get off to ride the favourite will be interesting. But it will be a tough decision. Jessica Harrington's horses have been out of form for quite a while so Macs Joy's run was heartening for her. She should go to the Festival with him now with great hopes. Hardy Eustace flopped in the race but has proven before he is good enough to win a Champion Hurdle. Connections now have six weeks to get him ready again so you can not rule a horse out with his ability. Missed That won the novice chase on the same card and you could not fault his performance. He looks to be a worthy contender now for the Arkle Chase - if not the winner. We shall have to see how the likes of Racing Demon get on in the build-up but the event has an open look to it. I was on board Too Forward in the Skybet Chase at Southwell on Saturday. He finished fifth in a furious race as four of the first five - bar Richard Guest's Our Armageddon - all came from way out the back. I was a little bit disappointed with Too Forward. Possibly the ground was too sticky and holding for him - it was looser when he won at Newbury. He did not jump half as well as in the Newbury race either and perhaps he just did not have the confidence at his fences out of that sort of ground. There is a big handicap at Newbury coming up at the end of February or early March and that could be his next aim. That is back to two and a half miles but we do think he has the pace for that when he is on song and if the ground is right. I head to Wincanton On Thursday to ride Ollie Magern in the re-routed Cotswold Chase and trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies is very happy with him again. The girl who rides him out is very excited as well and says he is in great form. Wincanton is not the ideal track for him as he does prefer going left-handed but we need to get another run into him before the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. Depending on how he handles the course, I'd want to see him finish in the first three.
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