Willie Mullins eyes Arkle for Champagne Fever

Willie Mullins is leaning towards letting Champagne Fever chase his Cheltenham Festival hat-trick in the Racing Post Arkle Trophy on March 11.

Arvika Ligeonniere has yet to show his brilliant best when going left-handed but is bound for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. "We'll be doing one or two things differently with him, simple enough things," said the champion trainer. Boston Bob, second in the Albert Bartlett two years ago and a faller when leading at the final fence in last year's RSA, could run in either the World Hurdle or the Cheltenham Gold Cup. However, he would need to bounce back to form having finished last of six runners in Cheltenham's Cleeve Hurdle at the end of January. Mullins said: "Boston Bob is in the World Hurdle and Gold Cup. On his last run he shouldn't be doing anything, but he has done very well and I'd imagine we'll leave him in both."