Geraghty will be hoping for success on the horse at Cheltenham

Jessica Harrington's six-year-old edged a win over Brave Inca who rallied under Barry Cash and appeared to be finishing the stronger.

Champion Hurdler Hardy Eustace was third in an exciting three-way battle for the Grade One feature.

"Some people thought Barry had won so I was a bit deflated at first," said winning jockey Barry Geraghty.

"But Macs Joy is a fair little horse and picked up well after the last fence.

"That is as good a Champion Hurdle trial you will see in a long time."

Trainer Jessica Harrington said their sights were now firmly on the big race on 15 March.

"I hope it will be the same three coming up the hill at Cheltenham," she said.

"We will just keep him ticking over now. He will have an easy week and we will train him for Cheltenham and hope for the best."

Brave Inca has now been runner-up on all his four starts this season, three times behind Macs Joy.

"Turning in from the bend he was a bad fourth but he is as tough as nails," said trainer Colm Murphy.

"He stayed on well. He had a hard race but there are eight more weeks before Cheltenham. He did not like the ground and we are thrilled."

AIG Europe Champion Hurdle (2m)
1. Macs Joy (B Geraghty) 11-8 fav
2. Brave Inca (B Cash) 7-2
3. Hardy Eustace (C O'Dwyer) 7-1