After being pulled up at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, all eyes are on the potential return of Willie Mullins' superstar El Fabiolo.
March's Champion Chase was billed as a battle between El Fabiolo and Jonbon, but when the latter was declared a non-runner on the morning of the race, the path was seemingly clear for El Fabiolo to add to his Arkle success the previous year.
El Fabiolo was sent off as the 2/9 favourite with Mullins one way from a century of festival winners, but a bad mistake at the fifth fence and an awkward landing led to him being pulled up by jockey Paul Townend.
Captain Guinness went on to win the race and Mullins went on to surpass the hundred mark later in the meeting, but El Fabiolo's jump, or lack of, was one of the major surprises of the week.
El Fabiolo is likely to make his return in the Melling Chase at Aintree's Grand National Festival on Friday 12th April 2024.
If he doesn't make Aintree, he could run in the Punchestown Champion Chase later in the month, which has previously been won by the likes of Sprinter Sacre, Un de Sceaux and Energumene.