Faugheen out of Champion Hurdle
(February 17th 2016)
Faugheen will not defend his title in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The brilliant eight-year-old is suffering with a suspensory ligament problem which is enough to keep him on the sidelines for the big meeting in March.
Trainer Willie Mullins told the Racing Post on Wednesday: "Unfortunately, we've had a hold-up with Faugheen and he won't be going to Cheltenham.
"When we started back working him this week we discovered he had a sore suspensory and, while it isn't a serious problem, it's come at a bad time and it means we've had to abandon plans to run him in the Champion Hurdle."
Price Boost
Faugheen was 1/3 favourite with Sky Bet to claim back-to-back victories in the Champion Hurdle, having this season claimed stunning victories in both the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.