Owner Rich Ricci has suggested that Champion Hurdle favourite Faugheen could head straight for Cheltenham without another run.

Already a Festival hero, having annihilated his rivals in last season's Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle, the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on December 26.

Faugheen is now unbeaten in seven starts under Rules, and Ricci feels his charge already has enough experience ahead of his toughest assignment yet.

He told At The Races: "He's in great nick. I'm not sure he'll run again before Cheltenham. I don't think he needs to.

"He's still got a bit of condition on him and he'll improve from the run at Kempton, but he's in fine form.

"He's very exciting."