Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle Betting Tips

Champion Hurdler Brave Inca started last season with a victory in the Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown and Colm Murphy's charge bids to repeat the dose on Sunday. However, in the shape of Noel Meade's Iktitaf, Brave Inca is facing a progressive, race-fit rival, and that race fitness could prove crucial under what looks set to be testing conditions. As such, Iktitaf is well worth a decent wager at 11/8 with Ladbrokes. The five-year-old was touted as a leading contender for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, but incurred an injury following his prep run for that contest and was forced to bypass the Festival. But compensation wasn't long in coming. Indeed, Iktitaf slammed the Supreme runner-up Straw Bear at the Punchestown Festival in April, a performance which marked him down as arguably the leading novice over the minimum distance last season. And his efforts so far this term augur well for Sunday's race, and the perils further ahead. A battling victory in the Irish Cesarewitch on the level at The Curragh was followed by mightily impressive victories here and at Down Royal back over timber. In essence he is the only horse going into this race with a full head of steam and I cannot see him being foiled in his hat-trick bid. Brave Inca lives up to his name in no uncertain terms. The eight-year-old, who will be ridden by Barry Geraghty for the first time this weekend, often hits a flat spot in his races but responds to pressure and is a hard horse to beat when he's got the bit between his teeth. But on his reappearance he will be vulnerable, a remark which also applies to the classy mare Asian Maze, who generally needs a run or two to bring her to concert pitch. Furthermore, she has never actually won over two miles before and will struggle to match the pace of the specialists over this trip. Newmill, who was beaten six lengths into fourth behind Brave Inca in this race last year, proved to be a revelation over fences last season and proved that his emphatic victory in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival was no fluke when running his rivals ragged in the Irish equivalent here a month later. John Murphy's stable star looks sure to lead them a merry dance from the front and should give a good account. However, he usually needs his reappearance and while he is effective on heavy going, he is a much better horse on genuine good ground. Silent Oscar, meanwhile, looks well out of his depth. Verdict - 4pts Iktitaf @ 11/8 (Ladbrokes)