Champagne Fever© Photo Healy Racing
Champagne Fever appears increasingly likely to bid for a Cheltenham Festival hat-trick in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.
The flying grey has already won a Champion Bumper and a Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Prestbury Park and was only just denied in last season's Arkle Trophy.
Connections kicked off the current campaign dreaming of a potential Cheltenham Gold Cup bid, but his failure to get home over three miles in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day has forced a rethink.
After a fall at Thurles, Champagne Fever got back on the winning trail at Gowran Park last weekend and though he still holds entries in the Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase, he looks set to come back to the minimum trip next month.
Mullins said: "I'd imagine the way the cards are falling, it would look like he'll go for the Champion Chase.
"You're going there for what could look an open enough Champion Chase and it might be the year to go and have a crack at it.
"If he doesn't do it this year he's not going to do it next year as I would imagine he'll be going out in trip again.
"With the way he won the other day you'd say he should go for the Ryanair and we haven't fully decided, but I think connections would prefer to go for the Champion Chase.
"He's just been on fire of late. Coming back in at Gowran the other day he looked like he was only going out."
Mullins is particularly well represented in the novice chase division heading into this year's Festival, with red-hot Arkle favourite Un De Sceaux the stand-out name.
The bold front-runner was a brilliant winner of the Irish equivalent at Leopardstown last week and the Irish champion jumps trainer is hoping for a similar performance.
"He's heart-in-the-mouth stuff to watch, but if he settles jumping his fences in Cheltenham, he's going to put in a big show," said Mullins.
"It's going to be tough for him coming up that hill. It's going to be a huge jump, but he has every chance.
"He's beaten everything he's taken on and it would be great if he went over there and did the same."
Un De Sceaux's likely Arkle participation means Vautour last season's stunning Supreme winner, is set to tackle the longer JLT Novices' Chase.
Mullins is sure his charge is better than what he has shown so far this term.
He said: "He won the other day, but I still think I've got more to do. His next few bits of work at home will be crucial.
"He did very well his first run, disappointed at Christmas and came back the other day. He won, but it wouldn't lead you to be having a fortune on him at Cheltenham.
"I want to get him back to the way he was last December and I think it will come. I think I've just got to be hard on him.
"He can go any trip."
Mullins plans to have discussions with leading owners Gigginstown House Stud over the likely Festival targets of Grade One winners Don Poli and Valseur Lido
The trainer would like to aim the pair at the National Hunt Chase and the RSA Chase respectively, but admits that could change.
Mullins said: "I nominated the four-miler for this fellow (Don Poli) back in November, I think.
"However, Gigginstown have other horses and a lot will depend on what they want to run in.
"I look at the horse and I look at his style of racing and I say the four-miler, that's it, end of story, but we'll see.
"I think probably Bryan Cooper and Gigginstown might prefer the RSA Chase and I'd prefer the four-miler.
"He is just so lazy and I think four miles will be right up his street.
"We don't know how good he is and I hope we keep it that way and he can just keep winning races and build up confidence and strength.
"It's important just to get winners in Cheltenham, I think, no matter where they are.
"He (Valseur Lido) was, for me, an RSA horse, but they (Gigginstown) want to go for the JLT.
"It's just a discussion. I think with a thing like this we have to look at everyone's point of view and maximise chances for everyone.
"He'd be a contender for either race, but the further he goes I think the easier he's going to do it."
Discussing some of his other novice chasers, the trainer said: "Adrianna Des Mottes will probably stay at home.
"Blood Cotil could go for the Arkle, the JLT or a handicap.
"Gitane Du Berlais will probably go JLT rather than Arkle."
Unbeaten mare Vroum Vroum Mag is also likely to skip the Festival altogether, Mullins said.
