Chelsea set to return

Tom Mullins will have Chelsea Harbour available for all the big festivals after making a full recovery from recent surgery.

The 10-year-old needed an operation to repair his hind leg after running in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November.

The Irish chaser needed some time to recover from a successful operation but will now be going back into training shortly.

He could be aimed at the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree, in which he fell last April, or the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup.

"Chelsea Harbour got a bit of an injury that knocked him out for six weeks to two months since he ran the last day in the Hennessy at Newbury," said trainer Tom Mullins.

"He had an injury to a hind leg and had to have a small operation.

"He's OK now and starts back in work in a couple of weeks' time and we might get him back to Aintree or Punchestown. The operation was 100% successful."

Bumper chance

Mullins is hoping to have a Champion Bumper prospect at the Cheltenham Festival in Tavern Times, and says the six-year-old's next run is crucial to his chances.

Tavern Times created such a good impression on his only start to date when successful at Fairyhouse in October that he is favourite at around 12-1 for the big race in March.

"I was hoping to run him in Gowran next Thursday but the weather has held us up, so he might not make it there," said the County Kilkenny handler.

"We will find something else for him later on but he's very well in himself. A lot will depend on his next run. He did it well first time and the form has worked out well.

"We think a lot of him and I'd expect him to run well the next day whenever we do run him. We planned to run him at Christmas but it didn't work out and the frost has held us up a bit."