Willie Mullins has revealed that Galopin Des Champs might not make his intended reappearance target of the John Durkan having suffered a “little hold-up”.

A dual winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Galopin Des Champs has finished third in the two-and-a-half-mile Grade 1 chase at Punchestown in November on his seasonal reappearance and Willie Mullins had been looking to follow the same route ahead of attempting to regain his Gold Cup crown in March.

However, when speaking to the Sporting Life, he said: "Unfortunately I've had a little hold-up with him for the last couple of weeks.

"If I can get him to the John Durkan I will but I'm not sure I'll be able to get him there. He's just had that little hold-up and would need to hit everything right to make it.

"I'm not going to press him hard to get him there and one less run this time won't be any harm to him if it turns out that way but after that I'd like to keep to his schedule.

"I know he's nine going 10, but I think that's still that's young enough. Something like Leopardstown at Christmas would be a starting point if he missed Punchestown or we could turn around and go down to Tramore (on New Year's Day) There are options for him.

"He seems fine now, but I did miss a few days with him. If Punchestown happens, it happens."