Brave Inca has been given a clean bill of health after being beaten in last weekend's AIG and his trainer Colm Murphy confirmed yesterday the plan is for the horse to take up his traditional pre-Cheltenham public work-out date at Leopardstown just nine days before the Champion Hurdle.

Murphy's initial concern after Brave Inca lost out to Hardy Eustace in the AIG was that something might be amiss with the reigning champion hurdler but everything has checked out sound with the horse since then.

"He seems fine, 1,000 per cent in every way. He was good the next day, has been cantering every day since, been down the beach, the whole shebang," the Co Wexford trainer said.

"I was disappointed when he got beaten because it was the first day he didn't keep running to the line. That isn't like him and I had a couple of other horses on the day that did the same thing.

"Obviously you would be worried in case everything wasn't 100 per cent but we've looked at them and everything seems to be fine," Murphy added.

Brave Inca has used the post-race work-outs at Leopardstown in early March before his three Cheltenham Festival starts which to date have yielded a Champion success and a win in the Supreme Novices'.

He was also third to Hardy Eustace in the 2005 Champion. "More than likely he will go back there for a gallop. That's the plan at the moment anyway," Murphy reported.

Brave Inca's old rival, Harchibald, is a possible starter in Gowran Park's Red Mills Trial in a fortnight's time after being ruled out of a clash with Detroit City in Saturday's Agfa Hurdle at Sandown by his trainer Noel Meade.

That Red Mills could also contain Hardy Eustace, Asian Maze and Macs Joy and it's that strength in depth among Ireland's top hurdlers that is a factor in the bookmakers' belief that Cheltenham 2007 could be another bumper festival for Irish-trained horses. Cashmans have begun betting on the number of Irish winners in March and it's just 5 to 1 about the visitors equalling last year's record festival tally of 10 winners.

The 3 to 1 joint favourites, however, are eight and nine winners while it's 500 to 1 about Ireland drawing a blank over the four days. But what might attract some punters is the 16 to 1 about a record-smashing 12 or more winners.

Ruby Walsh is the Cork firm's 6 to 4 favourite to repeat his leading rider award from last year although an outsider backed in that market is Mick Fitzgerald who is into 14 to 1. Paul Nicholls is evens favourite to be the leading trainer.

The Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde is set to continue his build-up to an Aintree return at Punchestown this Sunday where he will run in a handicap hurdle on the same card that his stable companion Nickname runs in the Grade Two Tied Cottage Chase.

The ground at the Co Kildare course is currently "soft to heavy" but that is not of concern to Martin Brassil who is confident of a big showing from his two stable starts.

"Numbersixvalverde ran very well the last day and if he has improved like I think he has, he should be there or thereabouts on Sunday," the trainer said yesterday. "Nickname has beaten a few of his likely opponents in the Tied Cottage already and while I respect a lot of them, I would like to think he could come out on top."

The Tied Cottage field is also likely to contain Tumbling Dice who reverts to two miles after running in the two-and-a-half-mile Kinloch Brae at Thurles on his last start.

"I don't think he stayed the two and a half at Thurles in a Grade Two that in many ways was really a Grade One," said his trainer Tom Taaffe yesterday. "I think he is more of a two mile- two mile and two furlong horse."

The Straffan-based trainer also confirmed his plan to run the Troytown and Paddy Power Chase winner Cane Brake in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

"He is going the right way and I'm taking the view that we will freshen him up and go to Cheltenham. I'm not saying he is going to win a Gold Cup but I'd be very surprised if he isn't in the first six," Taaffe said.

"We all know Kauto Star is very impressive and if he gets it right, he will be tough to beat. But it will be tough for him to get it right too," he added.