Report from Leopardstown: Oh to be a fly on the wall when Tony McCoy and JP McManus discuss arrangements for Cheltenham because after Brave Inca's thrilling victory in yesterday's AIG Europe Champion Hurdle, the champion jockey is likely to be turning on the charm tap with a vengeance.
McManus's decision in 2004 to pay out major money in order to retain McCoy for his own massive string of horses was supposed to open up a realm of big-race opportunity for the rider. But in terms of the Smurfit Champion Hurdle it's threatening to turn into a tight if rather lucrative noose.
The McManus-owned Lingo was taking it easy at Jonjo O'Neill's yard in Gloucestershire yesterday but his name was being bandied about with rare abandon at Leopardstown all the same.
Champion Hurdle odds of as low as 5 to 1 feature next to Lingo's name this morning and yet McCoy left no one in doubt yesterday about which horse he would like to be on board come March 14th.
"Brave Inca is getting better with each race and he was better today than he was at Christmas," he said.
"I would like to ride him in the Champion Hurdle but obviously lots of things might happen between now and then."
Possibly lots of things like McManus getting his ear bent. But if the famously flint-minded champion owner doesn't buy the charm, then McCoy could do worse than play the tape of yesterday's big race.
From the penultimate flight, last year's winner Macs Joy looked a rejuvenated character and appeared to be galloping all over Brave Inca. And yet at no stage did anyone feel the race was over and very few would have suddenly switched allegiance from the favourite.
Sure enough once over the last Brave Inca's famously resolute head stretched on and although Macs Joy closed the margin to a length at the line, that looked to have more to do with the winner's willingness to do only just enough rather than any hint of faltering.
"He's brave and gutsy but has loads of class as well. In fact he has more speed than he's given credit for.
"I felt that whatever came to me, he'd pick up. He has proven what a class horse he is," McCoy enthused.
Macs Joy is a genuine Cheltenham candidate again on yesterday's evidence while Golden Cross in third could now be aimed at the World Hurdle.
However, there must now be real uncertainty about Hardy Eustace's chance of becoming just the sixth horse to complete a Champion Hurdle hat-trick after a dismal effort.
A silly mistake at the third set the tone and Conor O'Dywer was rousting him along at half-way. In the circumstances a best price 6 to 1 about Cheltenham this morning is hardly indicative of a new generosity in bookmaking.
Missed That landed the second Grade One chase of his fencing career with a narrow defeat of the 25 to 1 outsider Arteea in the Baileys Arkle that, nevertheless, placed plenty of conviction behind his chance for the Cheltenham version.
"He jumped across the second and gave himself the fright of his life. His confidence was affected but I thought David (Casey) gave him a great ride and let him find his feet," said Willie Mullins.
"He will definitely run in the Arkle at Cheltenham. The speed he showed in the bumper last year means we always felt he would be a two-mile horse this season," he added.
The favourite, Nickname, was pulled up after a very disappointing effort.
A scope afterwards was described as "abnormal" and later it was reported he had burst a blood vessel.
Dusty Sheehy described the run of Justified in third as "disappointing" but Arteea's trainer, Michael Hourigan, confirmed that he will have another crack at Missed That in the Arkle.
Nicanor is a 7 to 1 shot for the SunAlliance after trouncing his old rival Travino in the Grade Three Walls Golden Cygnet Hurdle and banishing the memory of his 1 to 6 defeat at Navan.
"All along we've thought he is good but the last day he was racing in mud on the inside while the winner was on better ground," said Noel Meade.
"When Travino beat him at Navan in December we must have given a 10- or 15-length start and still nearly won."
Willie Mullins has another strong bumper team and Equus Maximus is the new 5 to 1 favourite with Paddy Power for Cheltenham after an impressive debut yesterday. "He's fairly good but we'll find out in the next couple of weeks where he ranks," said Mullins.
McCoy warmed up for the big race with a narrow success in the opener on Vintage Gold while Solar System could go to Cheltenham for a handicap after winning the Listed Chase under a strong Barry Geraghty drive.
