WILLIE MULLINS’S CONSIDERABLE team for next month’s Cheltenham Festival will be without two of its biggest stars.

Faugheen, the 2015 Champion Hurdle winner, and Min, a second-place finisher to Altior in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last year, have been ruled out of the festival through injury.

Mullins revealed today that nine-year-old Faugheen, who missed last year’s festival due to injury and has not run since the 2016 Irish Champion Hurdle more than a year ago, has been ruled out of Cheltenham with a stress fracture.

Faugheen had been due to run in this year’s edition of the Irish Champion Hurdle last month but was once again a late injury withdrawal.

The issue was initially thought to be a muscle injury but it has now been discovered the problem is more serious.

“We had hoped Faugheen had just tweaked a muscle, but we’ve had it checked out and it’s a stress fracture,” said Mullins.

A bone bruise will keep Min out of the Arkle Trophy and also ends hopes of a highly-anticipated rematch with Nicky Henderson’s Altior.

“Min has a bruise. Hopefully both will still make the track this season.”

The news of the Rich Ricci-owned pair is another setback for Mullins after he recently had to rule Annie Power, last year’s Champion Hurdle winner, out of her title defence with a leg injury.

This year’s Cheltenham Festival runs from 14-17 March.

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