Faugheen© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins is refusing to look beyond Saturday's Coral Hurdle at Ascot with the hugely exciting Faugheen.
Ante-post favourite for the Champion Hurdle on the back of a sparkling novice campaign, the imposing six-year-old faces six rivals on his return to action.
An eight-length winner of his only point-to-point, he beat the classy Josses Hill by 22 lengths in his sole bumper start and is unbeaten in five outings over hurdles.
He did not turn in the best round of jumping in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, but he powered up the hill to score impressively.
However, it was when Mullins decided to drop him to two miles at the Punchestown Festival that it looked like he could be really special, blitzing a top-class field by upwards of 12 lengths.
With so much strength in depth and a lack of options at home, Mullins sends him for the Grade Two he took with Annie Power 12 months ago and he is keen to see how Faugheen fares before mapping out any plans.
"This race will tell us a lot, and I'm not looking beyond that at the moment," said the Closutton maestro.
It will not be a stroll in the park for Faugheen, though, with Paul Nicholls fielding a Grade One winner in Lac Fontana and Nicky Henderson's returning Blue Fashion taking him on.
Also running are Ballyglasheen, Hint Of Mint, First Avenue and Houseparty.
