Willie Mullins is set to field two of his big guns in an attempt to win the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase for the first time, with veteran Un De Sceaux likely to join Chacun Pour Soi.

Despite being crowned champion trainer in Ireland 13 times and leading the table at the Cheltenham Festival six times, he has never won the two-mile championship chase.

However, having landed his first Gold Cup last year with Al Boum Photo, Mullins has a very strong hand in a race which could be one of the highlights of the week, with Altior and Defi Du Seuil also due to line up.

"My connections are very keen to go to the Champion Chase with Un De Sceaux. Whether he should be going for the Ryanair, I don't know, but the Champion Chase looks the plan at the moment," said Mullins.

"I think we got the tactics wrong in the Ryanair last year. If we run in the Champion Chase, we'll just let him run his usual race up front.

"He still retains a huge amount of ability at his age. I'd love to see lots of rain for him - I think that will be crucial.

"I think part of the plan could be for Patrick (Mullins) to ride him. It's probably going to be his last hurrah in Cheltenham."

Chacun Pour Soi is the new kid on the block on the two-mile scene and after a surprise defeat at Christmas, he beat stablemate Min at the Dublin Racing Festival.

"He needed the race at Christmas and was good the last day - I think he's improving all the time," said Mullins.

"I'm not worried about Cheltenham for him. He seems to handle any pace and has won at different tracks. For him to take on what he took on in Punchestown last season and do what he did was fantastic.

"We just need to get him there now in good shape. The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a spectacular race. Everyone likes to knock off another achievement and it would be great to have it on the CV."

Following that reverse at Leopardstown, Min is likely to go back up in trip.

"I'd imagine we'll try to keep him and Chacun Pour Soi apart and run Min in the Ryanair," said Mullins.

"I don't think he jumped as well as he needed to in Leopardstown the last day, but he still ran a good race and I don't think the longer trip will be any problem for him - he's won over two and a half before."

"I'd imagine Duc Des Genievres will run in the Ryanair as well."

Cash Back was narrowly touched off in the Irish Arkle by Henry de Bromhead's Notebook and Mullins wants soft ground for his attempt to turn the tables.

"He goes for the Arkle. He reminds me of Un De Sceaux - he has that same style of racing and training," said Mullins.

"He likes to run and jump and if we get soft or heavy in the going description for him, I'll be very pleased.

"Melon will go for the Marsh. He showed us the last day he wants a trip. While his jumping is good, it's not sharp enough for the Arkle.

"He has good Festival form without winning - he's been second in the Supreme and in two Champion Hurdles. Maybe we've just been running him over the wrong trip."

While most of the novice chasers have multiple options, there is only one for Carefully Selected.

"We've been aiming him at the National Hunt Chase from a long way out," said Mullins.

"He gallops and jumps and while he doesn't look fast, he has more speed than it appears.

"To look at him you'd think he was a plodder - he's not the most handsome brute in the place, but he's a good horse."

Ground conditions are likely to dictate whether Easy Game runs in the Marsh Novices' Chase or the RSA, while Mullins is favouring the latter event for Allaho.

He said: "I was talking to Cheveley Park the other day and the RSA is the probable race for him. He's light on experience, but he gallops and jumps.

"We'll see how he works between now and then. He could go back for the Marsh, but at the moment I'm aiming at the RSA."

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Benie Des Dieux could head for the Close Brothers Hurdle, with Mullins feeling there is some "unfinished business" in the Cheltenham Festival event.

The mare has only tasted defeat once since joining Mullins from France over three years ago and it came in the corresponding race last season, when she was well in command but came down at the last.

So impressive was she last time out in the Galmoy Hurdle, there were calls for connections to supplement her into the Champion Hurdle, while she already holds an entry in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle as well.

"She's in the two races. She was very unlucky loser in the Mares' Hurdle last year and we might go back and get a bit of unfinished business done, but we'll see," said Mullins.

"She hasn't run an awful lot, but I've got her to the stage where I can run her two or three times a year and I want to keep it that way.

"She'd have no trouble going up in trip. If she was to go back over fences, she could line up in a Gold Cup any day of the week. She stays well and her jumping is fantastic, too.

"You're guaranteed to get soft in the going description on the first day of the Festival and that's a big plus for her as she's a big mare."

One that will be supplemented for the Unibet Champion Hurdle is Ciloas Emery after he returned to the smaller obstacles to win the Red Mills Trial at Gowran last weekend.

Mullins said: "After his win the other day, I think we'll supplement him for the Champion Hurdle.

"We think he has a better chance of being placed in the Champion Hurdle than the Champion Chase. The Red Mills Hurdle was there and the prize-money he won sorts our problems (supplementary fee) for Cheltenham.

"We schooled him over hurdles before he ran in Gowran and we'll school him a few more times between now and then. Once the adrenaline kicks in on the day, I think he'll be fine."

He will be joined by Sharjah, despite his disappointing run behind Honeysuckle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

"He goes for the Champion Hurdle. His run the other day was terrible. He missed the first hurdle down the back in Leopardstown and we don't know why because he's usually a very good jumper," reasoned Mullins.

"I'd prefer drier ground for him, but I don't think he's ground dependent. Horses do handle softer ground as they get older.

"I'd imagine Patrick (Mullins) will ride him in the Champion Hurdle."

Mullins confirmed both Penhill and Bacardys as intended runners in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, while Stormy Ireland is on course for the Close Brothers Hurdle.

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The champion trainer's novice squad is headed by the impressive Leopardstown winner Asterion Forlonge.

While he retains multiple entries at the Festival, Mullins is keen to let him line up for the curtain-raising Supreme Novices' Hurdle - alongside another of owner Joe Donnelly's star youngsters in Nicky Henderson's Shishkin.

"I spoke to connections about him and Joe (Donnelly) said 'Willie, do whatever you want'. He said that to me very early in play," said Mullins.

"At the moment we think the horse should for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle - that's where we're headed.

"I've been aiming this horse at the Albert Bartlett all year, but he bolted in the last day. He doesn't show that much speed at home.

"It's very sporting of Mr Donnelly to let the two horses run in the same race."

The Big Getaway is likely to carry the Donnelly colours of Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, where he is set to be joined by stablemate Elixir D'Ainay.

Aione, Janidil and Monkfish were among those mentioned as possible runners in the Albert Bartlett.

The Closutton maestro will hold strong hopes in most races across the course of the four days, but rates the chances of Appreciate It in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper as better than most.

He added: "I think he'd have to be one of our main hopes at Cheltenham this year."