Horse Racing: Mccoy Confirmed for Brave Ride

Tony McCoy may have been feeling all of his 32 years yesterday morning, as he set off for Huntingdon on icy roads to ride in public for the first time since Saturday, and still unsure whether he would be booked to partner Brave Inca in the Irish Champion Hurdle on Sunday. The return journey must have passed more smoothly, though, thanks to a 38-1 treble from five rides and confirmation from Ireland that he will indeed ride the favourite in the weekend's big race at Leopardstown.

Brave Inca was ridden by Ruby Walsh for the first time when he won at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting, and travelled and jumped particularly well at all stages of the race. It was the gelding's partnership with McCoy, however, that took him to three Grade One victories last season, including the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, and the association will be maintained for one more race at least.

"Brave Inca seems in very good shape, and Tony McCoy will ride him," Colm Murphy, his trainer, said yesterday. "We don't know whether Tony will be available for Cheltenham yet [as he may be required to ride Straw Bear for JP McManus] but we really haven't started to think about that."

McCoy's first ride after his short layoff with a recurrence of an old neck injury was a winner, though he needed all his strength to keep Buster Hyvonen a length and a half in front of I'm So Lucky in the Better People Better Business Novice Hurdle. The winner holds an entry in the Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Festival, though no decision will be taken until James Fanshawe, his trainer, returns from holiday in Barbados.

Another possible runner at Cheltenham is Another Promise, who took the Lightning Novice Chase, a Grade Two rerouted from Ascot's abandoned card last Saturday, by a length from Rasharrow. It was an adequate performance rather than a brilliant one, however, and the winner can be backed at 40-1 for the Arkle Trophy.

Faasel, the runner-up to Penzance in the Triumph Hurdle two seasons ago, also went on trial for Cheltenham yesterday and is 25-1 (from 33-1) with Hills for the Arkle after an impressive debut over fences at Catterick.

Richard Guest, who admitted failing to exercise reasonable care and supervision of a horse at Durham magistrates court last year, is to face an enquiry into the incident at the Horseracing Regulatory Authority in London on Febuary 8. Guest, who was given a conditional discharge at the end of the case, could lose his licence if he is found to be in breach of Rule 201 (vi), in that he committed a criminal offence with regard to racing.

The HRA confirmed yesterday that jockey Dean Mernagh and trainer Stewart Parr will appeal against the punishments imposed on them by the Wolverhampton stewards on Monday over the running and riding of Black Oval.

Tomorrow's scheduled jumps meeting at Lingfield was called off yesterday afternoon after the course was found to be unraceable due to false ground.