McCoy at his strongest on Brave Inca.

By Dave Ord, Prestbury Park

If Tony McCoy could create his perfect racehorse it would probably end up just like Brave Inca. Here is a combination simply made for each other.

Both are teak-tough, hate losing, and will never shirk any challenge or fight.

The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle on Tuesday was their race - but this was never going to be a bridle win. McCoy was motionless for only the first mile. From then on it was down to sheer hard work. It had to be.

Up front was reigning champion Hardy Eustace. A generation of hurdlers have found him impossible to pass up the hill here.

Brave Inca wasn't going to do a smash-and-grab raid. Three out he eyeballed the champion. He was here to rumble.

There was no rapid change of gear, breathtaking surge to the front, just a grind to the line. The outcome it seemed though was always inevitable.

In behind Barry Geraghty was going to play Macs Joy late. He did.

The problem is Jessica Harrington's charge never looks like passing Brave Inca.

He'll cruise to the quarters but not beyond them. McCoy wouldn't allow it.

And boy did he celebrate. Whipping the various enclosures into a frenzy as he passed them, Tony was on top of the world.

That's the thing with Tony. Winning is everything and he had gone 32 Festival races without this feeling.

It is hard to believe this was the same man who sat grim faced, glaring into the gloom after Straw Bear's gallant second place in the opener. But he didn't win. Brave Inca did.

The current crop of hurdlers may not be a vintage one but they have now served up two fantastic Champion Hurdles.

We may not have had a brilliant winner, but like Hardy Eustace before him, here is one who you wouldn't stare too long at. The prizefighter has taken the throne.

Earlier Noland came from the clouds to win the Supreme Novices' Hurdle but a more significant race for the future could well be the Irish Independent Arkle.

Voy Por Ustedes won, and did it well too. He travels and jumps like a stag. Given only normal progression he is a leading Queen Mother Champion Chase candidate for 2007.

Runner-up Monet's Garden is the one though, a bold jumping grey with the racing world seemingly at his hooves.

Quick enough for championship races at the minimum trip yet capable of staying extreme trips. The world is his oyster but on Tuesday Brave Inca and Tony McCoy were on top of it.