JJ Slevin: 'El Fabiolo is the best horse in the Champion Chase'

Speaking on Irish Racing’s Cheltenham Festival Preview Show, jockey JJ Slevin - retained rider for powerful owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede - believes Willie Mullins’s runner El Fabiolo is the strongest horse in the Champion Chase at the Festival this year and not the all-conquering Jonbon for the Nicky Henderson team.

“I think our system seems good with him,” Slevin said on El Fabiolo, owned by Munior and Souede and trained by Willie Mullins.

“He obviously got quite a heavy fall and it took him a few days to get over it, but he's come round well now and if they decide to go for the Champion Chase, he potentially is the best horse in the race.”

Slevin added he thinks that El Fabiolo would also be comfortable over a further trip in the Ryanair, with the Mullins runner entered in both races as it stands.

He added: “For sure stepping up in trip, it'll be lot more comfortable underneath you and you'll be back on his hocks a more.

“It might help you jump in a little bit, he'll be down a gear, it'll be very comfortable.

“Willie and the Double Green team are going to decide that. But if he did rock up in the Ryanair,, he'd be a fascinating contender as well.”

Watch the full Cheltenham Preview show here.