Willie Mullins favourite ruled out for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival

It's now just less than two weeks to the annual Cheltenham Festival and while Kilkenny trainer Willie Mullins again has a stromg hand, he will be without stable favourite Narcisso Has who has been ruled out with injury.

The JP McManus owned four year old was hugely impressive when winning at both the Dublin Racing Festival and Christmas at Leopardstown in recent weeks and he was seen as an Irish banker for many.

Narcisso Has very much looked the one to beat in the Triumph Hurdle which opens up Gold Cup Day in the Cotswolds and after Lossiemouth, Vauban, Majbourogh and Poniros won the race in the last four years in succession for Mullins, it looked a winnable opportunity for the Clonsutton stable.

While the injury was just a minor blip, it was still enough to rule the youngster out of the marquee four day event but connections are still hopeful of a return in time for the season ending Punchestown Festival.

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