Willie Mullins leaves open option of running Faugheen in Ascot Hurdle

Willie Mullins has left open the option of giving the unbeaten Faugheen his long-awaited first start of the new season in Saturday's Coral Ascot Hurdle. The hugely exciting new Champion Hurdle favourite is one of 11 entries for a Grade Two prize that Mullins won with another Rich Ricci-owned star, Annie Power, in 2013.

Faugheen is unbeaten in six starts, including the Neptune at Cheltenham and also a Grade One novice at Punchestown on his final outing of last season.

Mullins has also left the Grade One winner, Ballycasey in Saturday's Amlin 1965 Chase on the same Ascot card this Saturday. Eleven entries also remain in that prize.

Ballycasey wound up last season chasing home Carlingford Lough in a Punchestown Grade One having fallen in the Powers Gold Cup and finished fourth in the RSA at Cheltenham.