Brave Inca ventures into new territory at Punchestown this afternoon when a first attempt at three miles could be the start of a whole new chapter in the career of this remarkable racehorse.
Instead of waiting for tomorrow's two-mile highlight, the 2006 English and Irish Champion Hurdle winner lines up for the €200,000 Dunboyne Castle Champion Stayers Hurdle and a potentially titanic clash with the leading English runner, Mighty Man.
It's a bold step for Brave Inca who beat all but the shock winner, Sublimity, in last month's Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and who has looked as good as ever this season with two Grade One victories already in the bag.
His trainer, Colm Murphy, views today's feature as something of an experiment and insists that a good result today doesn't automatically mean Brave Inca will go down the stayers route next season.
However, it must surely be significant that making his stable star go half a mile further than he has ever done in the past is something that doesn't concern Murphy.
"I don't think there is any question about the trip," he said yesterday.
"He got two and a half miles on heavy ground when he won the Hatton's Grace and any time he has been beaten in that, he has been staying on. I think, if anything, the trip will be a help to him as he will have time to settle in rather than riding him as aggressively as we have been."
Ruby Walsh retains the ride from Cheltenham when a duel at the front with Hardy Eustace eventually left both horses wide open to a closer like Sublimity.
The task today will be completely different with Mighty Man coming here fresh from a career-best performance two weeks ago at Liverpool when annihilating Black Jack Ketchum and Inglis Drever.
The concern for the Henry Daly team, however, must be that trying to reproduce that effort just a fortnight later in a different country looks a very big ask for a horse who has shown in the past that he lives on his nerves somewhat.
Murphy didn't appear particularly concerned yesterday and said: "Mighty Man is a very good horse, no doubt, but Brave Inca has won an English and an Irish Champion Hurdle and just has a bit of pace which should help."
Brave Inca's old jockey Tony McCoy, who rode him to victory at the first attempt at this festival back in 2005, is on Refinement for Jonjo O'Neill this time while another former festival winner United completes the cross-channel challenge.
Essex bounced back to form at Fairyhouse on his last start and is also one with an outside chance but as with so much of his 29-race career to date this big race looks to revolve around Brave Inca.
He is aiming at a third Grade One festival triumph under a third different jockey and up to now his biggest winning margin here in April has been a head.
Yet again, it might end up being tight but when it comes to grit and determination, Brave Inca is rarely found wanting and should prevail.
