Pointers on show at Willie Mullins press morning

Horse Racing Ireland launched the new National Hunt season at Willie Mullins’ yard with a number of his star point-to-point graduates as they gear up for their return to action.

Faugheen was the big star of the bunch, with particular interest coming after the Closutton trainer indicated that the former Champion Hurdler would now likely head over fences for the first time since he won his four-year-old maiden at Ballysteen for Andy Slattery.

Speaking in a stable tour for attheraces.com earlier in the month, Mullins said: "We gave him a break over the summer and he seems back in great order. We have yet to sit down and make a firm decision, but I'd be keen to send him novice chasing.

"We could have gone over fences with him last season, but we decided not to. He would have loads of options in novice chases and I'd be interested to see how he gets on over them."

The champion trainer also issued a number of updates on some of his other leading hopes that have come from the pointing fields on Wednesday indicating that Ted Walsh’s Monksgrange winner Carefully Selected was being targeted at the RSA Chase at Cheltenham, but would likely initially begin over shorter trips.

Colin Bowe’s Largy winner Getabird had just three outings over the larger obstacles last season, including when a close second at Limerick in a Grade 1 over Christmas, and Mullins believes that the seven-year-old will be most effective over trips ranging from two miles to two and a half miles.

Cabaret Queen generated plenty of headlines following her success in the €100,000 Munster National, and Warren Ewing’s Dromahane winner, who only joined Mullins team during the summer, is now being prepared for a tilt at the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury.