Cheltenham Festival: Douvan in line to face Altior in Champion Chase

Douvan has won 14 of his 16 races, including twice at the Cheltenham Festival

The on-off meeting of racing heavyweights Altior and Douvan in the Cheltenham Festival's Queen Mother Champion Chase may be back on.

While Altior made a successful - if delayed - return to the track at Newbury, it had looked as though injury would rule out Douvan all season.

But the eight-year-old's trainer Willie Mullins reports a front-leg problem is not as serious as first thought, and the horse "has been pleasing me, doing everything right".

Although there is more gallops work to be done, the vibes are that Douvan will make it back to the race in which an unrelated pelvis injury contributed to a crushing defeat as odds-on favourite in a race won by Special Tiara 12 months ago.

Altior has won 13 of his 15 races, including two at the Cheltenham Festival

A showdown on 14 March between a back-to-form Douvan and Altior has been hotly anticipated since the latter emulated his potential rival by running away with the Arkle Trophy at the 2017 Festival, a year after taking its Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Mullins, whose 54 winners put him second - just behind Nicky Henderson - in the list of winning-most Festival trainers, said: "Not so long ago, we were being told we couldn't train him for a year, but we're coming back - we're not back yet, but we're hopeful.

"He got the injury after a bit of work [on the gallops] when he was awesome - he just flew - I don't think I've seen a faster bit of work.

"I suppose vets are probably a bit like doctors, they're ultra-cautious, and sometimes you can end up running a hospital rather than a training yard, so you just have to kick on, and we haven't had any setbacks since."

Douvan, former champion hurdler Faugheen, Gold Cup hopes Djakadam, Killultagh Vic and Total Recall, Arkle Trophy favourite Footpad, and novice hurdler Getabird head Mullins' raiding party of 40-plus runners for the Festival.

Irish trainer Willie Mullins at his base in County Carlow

Those are the usual kind of numbers, and they include about six favourites, but Mullins agrees that unlike many previous occasions there isn't necessarily a standout contender.

As a consequence, he lies second in the betting, behind fellow Irish challenger Gordon Elliott, to be leading trainer over the four days.

"I'm delighted with the team we have going," he said, "and we have some great chances going, but not at as short [odds] as sometimes, but you can't have that every year.

"When you look at horses like Vautour and Annie Power who're not there now, and Douvan at his best and Faugheen at his best, they were extraordinary horses, and to get them all at the one time was extraordinary as well."

On both occasions Faugheen has raced at the Festival, in 2014 and 2015, the horse - owned like many of the Mullins runners by American financier Rich Ricci and his wife Susannah - has been successful, winning a novices' hurdle and then the Champion Hurdle.

Mullins watches on as Faugheen trots out at his yard

After missing the two subsequent Festivals because of injury, the 10-year-old - nicknamed 'The Machine' for his brilliance - made a successful return in November before a shock defeat at Christmas and then finishing second at Leopardstown in February.

He is on course to try to regain his champion's crown, but it's hard to know what supporters can expect.

"The last day he ran a grand race," the trainer said, "way better than Christmas anyhow, but he'll have to up his game to win.

"We've still had plenty of time for him to actually spark and get better from Leopardstown to the middle of March, and we haven't gone downhill at home, we're going up - maybe a bit slower than his usual, but he's improving all the time."

Fully reignited and poised to return from four months out following a broken leg, is stable jockey Ruby Walsh, who will be sharing most of the big-race rides with Paul Townend - himself just back from an ankle injury - and the trainer's son Patrick, an amateur jockey.

Cheltenham's betting partner Betway is offering 9-1 about Mullins and co going winless at the Festival; seeing the firepower on show during my visit to the stables, that seems an unlikely scenario.

And I can tell you that the name on everyone's lips was Laurina, a contender for the mares' novices hurdle on day three.