Cheltenham Festival: Willie Mullins' star horses

Willie Mullins is a training phenomenon and has sent out significantly more Cheltenham Festival winners than anyone else.

His tally stands at a remarkable 94 winners, 21 clear of Nicky Henderson in second, and it would be a major surprise if the Irish champion trainer failed to bring up the century at this year's meeting.

He has a host of favourites and narrowing his incredibly strong team down to only five stable stars is not easy. But these five are arguably the highest profile.

Ballyburn (Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Tuesday March 12 or Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle, Wednesday March 13)

It's not yet clear in which race Ballyburn will compete at the Cheltenham Festival - he could run in the Supreme over two miles or the Baring Bingham over two miles and five furlongs - but he'll be tough to beat wherever he turns up. He put up the best performance by a novice hurdler this season when winning a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival by seven lengths and his straightforward style has prompted Mullins to compare him to the great Faugheen who won at two Cheltenham Festivals, including the Champion Hurdle in 2015.

State Man (Champion Hurdle, Tuesday March 12)

State Man's only defeat in 11 completed starts for Willie Mullins was when runner-up in the Champion Hurdle last season. However, he will have an excellent chance to go one better as the horse who beat him, Constitution Hill, has been ruled out of the meeting. State Man is a notch below Constitution Hill who is one of the most talented hurdlers of all time, but he is a cut above the rivals he will face on Tuesday and is ultra reliable to boot.

Lossiemouth (Mares' Hurdle, Tuesday March 12)

Lossiemouth won four of her five starts last season, including the Triumph at the Cheltenham Festival where she proved herself the best four-year-old hurdler around. Mullins has purposely given Lossiemouth a much lighter campaign this season but she looked better than ever when winning the International Hurdle by nine and a half lengths here in January and she is the class act in this line-up.

El Fabiolo (Champion Chase, Wednesday March 13)

Even though the reigning champion Energumene has been ruled out, Willie Mullins still holds outstanding claims with rising star El Fabiolo. El Fabiolo has won all six starts over fences, including the Arkle over this course and distance last season, and he looks set to prove a worthy successor to his stablemate.

Galopin des Champs (Cheltenham Gold Cup, Friday March 15)

Galopin des Champs was an emphatic winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup last season and has looked as good as ever this time around. He was only third behind Fastorslow on his return at Punchestown in November but gained revenge on that rival in the Irish Gold Cup last time. In between Galopin des Champs won the Savills Chase at Leopardstown by 23 lengths to offer a reminder he's the most talented horse in the division.

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