Irish Champion trainer Willie Mullins has suffered another double blow ahead of the Cheltenham Racing Festival.
The Racing Post is reporting that former Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen as well as Min, the short-priced favourite for the Arkle Trophy, have both been ruled out of the Festival next month.
The news of Faugheen in particular will be a blow to Mullins, after he was forced to withdraw defending champion Annie Power a few weeks ago. Faugheen was supposed to run at the Irish Champion Hurdle last month but suffered a set-back before the race.
However Min would have been hoping to seal a three-in-a-row for Mullins in the Arkle, following the successes of Douvan and Un De Sceaux in 2016 and 2015 respectively.
Mullins hopes the pair will be able to run again before the end of the National Hunt season, possibly at Punchestown.
