Walsh booked for De Valira

Ruby Walsh will ride De Valira in Tuesday´s Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

Walsh is red-hot favourite to win the top-jockey award at the Cheltenham Festival and has strengthened his hand with the mount of Michael O´Brien´s six-year-old.

O´Brien told the Racing Post: "Jockey plans were firmed up (on Thursday).

"Ruby got back to us and confirmed he was available."

De Valira, fourth to Catch Me in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle on his reappearance last month, was this week the subject of plenty of money and is as low as 16-1 for the Champion.