The six top Champion Hurdle contenders in Faugheen’s absence

The revelation two-mile king Faugheen is injured and will miss next month’s Stan James Champion Hurdle has thrown the race wide open.

It was almost a one-horse book for the Cheltenham showpiece, with Faugheen quoted generally at 1-3 to become the first horse to land back-to-back victories since Hardy Eustace on 2005.

However, his trainer Willie Mullins still has a vice-like grip on the first-day feature of the Cheltenham Festival.