Limini has not been supplemented for Tuesday’s Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, leaving Buveur D’Air and Yanworth to top 13 contenders.
Willie Mullins had raised the possibility of adding Limini to the Grade One event following her recent victorious seasonal bow, but opted not to pitch her into the opening day feature.
That leaves the JP McManus-owned pair of Buveur D'Air and Yanworth, trained by Nicky Henderson and Alan King respectively, battling it out for ante-post favouritism.
McManus and Henderson have a second string to their collective bow through dual Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent Or Yours, while the Seven Barrows trainer also has a third runner in Brain Power, who is owned by Michael Buckley.
While Limini has not been added to the mix, Mullins has left in both Footpad and Vroum Vroum Mag, although the latter is expected to defend her OLBG Mares’ Hurdle title on the same card instead.
Mullins also has Wicklow Brave in contention, with Henry de Bromhead’s Petit Mouchoir the leading Irish contender following his two recent Grade One victories.
Moon Racer, one of the main ante-post fancies for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, stands his ground for David Pipe, with Nigel Twiston-Davies primed to throw Festival regular The New One into battle once again in the two-mile showpiece.
King’s second string Sceau Royal, Dan Skelton’s Ch’tibello and the Malcolm Jefferson-trained Cyrus Darius round out the contenders.
