Limini ruled out of Champion Hurdle

Mullins plumps for mares’ race instead Baker now in intensive care in London hospital

race last March, and also has the option of the Stayers’ Hurdle.

Second-guessing Mullins – who also has Wicklow and Footpad in the Champion Hurdle – until he has actually declared a horse to run is fraught with danger, as those who backed Vautour ante-post for last year’s Gold Cup found out to their cost when the horse turned up in the Ryanair instead. weighted but, according to Gigginstown Stud’s racing manager, Eddie O’Leary, mainly because they want to look after the potential chaser.

David Pipe also has a decision to make with Moon Racer, the 2015 Champion Bumper winner, who is two from two over hurdles this season – both times beating Ballyandy. He remains in the Champion Hurdle and Sky Bet Supreme.

The longs odds-on Altior heads the 15 still in the Arkle but, of those, Top Notch and Yorkhill are both expected to run in the JLT Chase.

Meanwhile, George Baker, the St Leger winning Flat jockey, returned to England on Monday and is in the intensive care wing of the Wellington Hospital. He is expected to move to a rehabilitation section of the London facility in due course, according to a statement put out by the Injured Jockeys’ Fund.

Baker suffered a bleed on the brain 11 days ago in a fall on the frozen lake, or ‘White Turf’ as it is called, at St Moritz. He was flown by air ambulance to a Swiss hospital, where he remained for a week.