Hurricane still Festival doubt, says Mullins

Willie Mullins warned today that he doesn't know if exciting novice hurdler Hurricane Fly will recover in time to run at next month's Cheltenham Festival.

Hurricane Fly, joint-favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle with stablemate Cousin Vinny, missed last Sunday's Deloitte Hurdle at Leopardstown due to lameness and Mullins said: "He's doing canters but wouldn't be 100 per cent and I don't know about Cheltenham. Certainly this happening three weeks before is not ideal.

"The progress he has made from Sunday is good and if he makes the same progress over the next six days, I think we'll get there."

Mullins, who has not decided which of the novice hurdle events Hurricane Fly will run in at Cheltenham should the five-year-old recover, added: "He is improving day by day and the intense pain is easing."

Champion Hurdle favourite Binocular was one of a number of Nicky Henderson's Festival prospects to be put through their paces today.

The five-year-old is as short as even-money to claim the hurdling crown and was popped over four hurdles by champion jockey Tony McCoy to ready him for the task ahead.