Willie Mullins brought out his team of leading contenders for the Cheltenhan Festival before a large contingent of British and Irish media at his Closutton stables this morning.

Although missing some of the star names of recent seasons, following the death of Vautour and injuries to Annie Power and Faugheen, Mullins marked out over 30 horses who all have Cheltenham entries in the Grade 1 contests.

The string was led by the two Rich Ricci flagbearers Djakadam and Douovan.

Mullins was hopeful of an even better performance from the now eight-year-old Djakadam, who has been second in the last two Gold Cups, having had a much clearer run up to the festival than in the two years. “He’s the age that chasers should win the Gold Cup, everything is going right this year. I was taken by his run in the Lexus, we are happy where we are.”

Odds-on Champion Chase favourite, Douvan, still gets special mention. “He has to prove not only what you think of him but what I think of him. You’ve got to win your championship race. He could be the best I’ve ever had. The bar is set high for him.”

Graham Wylie’s leading hope Yorkhill is still set for the JLT Novices despite murmurs of a Champion Hurdle bid or that he could take on Altior in the Arkle.

“We thought about it for two seconds (the Champion Hurdle) but he was always going for the JLT.”

Speculation has also been rife that Limini would be supplemented for the Champion after her defeat of Apple’s Jade at Punchestown last week. No decision has yet been made but she is still a possible with Vroum Vroum Mag more likely to take the Mares Hurdle route. “It would be tough to ask her to run in the Champion Hurdle after her run at Doncaster.”

Limini is reported to have taken her Punchestown run very well. “

I would say it's 50-50 [that she is supplemented for the Champion Hurdle]. Some people saw her as the new Annie Power, but she is a little more difficult to train. She’s a bit funny to pull out in the morning.”

For more on the Willie Mullins Cheltenham challenge pick up this weekend’s The Irish Field.