By Graham Ruthven

The Championship title race is rounding the last corner and coming into the final stretch - and there are two frontrunners vying for the number one spot.

Hibernian and Rangers are out in front, with the pair targeting silverware and automatic promotion to the Premiership.

But how will the race shape-up between now and the end of the season, in light of the news that Martyn Waghorn will miss six to eight weeks of action through injury?

With the striker sidelined for a crucial section of the campaign, which team is in better condition?

We look at both teams and analyse whether Hibernian or Rangers are most likely to finish top of the pile come the end of April.

Since joining from Wigan Athletic in the summer, Waghorn has become a crucial component part of Warburton's team. He is Rangers' top scorer for the season, netting 28 times in all competitions so far.

That equates to 24 percent of the goals the Ibrox club have scored this season (also taking into account their Petrofac Training Cup campaign), with the 'Gers tallying up 95 goals in total.

The number of penalties on Waghorn's record has helped him to the top of the goalscoring table but it's likely that another player will be capable of converting any spot kicks awarded in his absence.

Away from the set-piece though, figures compiled by Rangers Report suggest that the striker's contribution in open play will be harder to replace.

The blog notes that 26% of Rangers' shots, and 31% of shots on target, are attributed to Waghorn, with full-back James Tavernier the second biggest contributor with less than half the contribution.

Rangers are better equipped now to deal with Waghorn's absence, after bringing in attackers Billy King and Michael O'Halloran in the January transfer window. Kenny Miller has made a vital contribution this season and Nicky Clark looks the best placed to seize the opportunity now being presented.

Nonetheless, Rangers will be hurt by Waghorn's injury - but to what extent will his absence be felt?

Both sides used the mid-season transfer window to bolster their title chances, with nine signings made between the two clubs. But who made the better dealings?

Championship-leaders Rangers added Polish goalkeeper Maciej Gostomski to their squad as competition for number one Wes Foderingham, with Doncaster’s Harry Forrester also signed. But it was later in the window that the Ibrox side made a real impression.

O’Halloran joined from St Johnstone on deadline day, with King also signing on loan from Hearts late in the window. Both players will give Mark Warburton more options in the final third, taking some of the goalscoring burden off Waghorn - which will now be all the more significant.

Alan Stubbs and Hibernian were just as active, with the loan signing of Anthony Stokes from Celtic arguably the biggest Championship move of the window. The Republic of Ireland striker could give Hibs the firepower needed to claw back Rangers.

The Easter Road side also added Norwegian right-back Niklas Gunnarsson, Finnish goalkeeper Otso Virtanen and Kevin Thomson in a player-coach role to their squad. But it is Stokes who could make the biggest difference.

With the March 7 clash between Hibernian and Rangers set to be rescheduled due to both sides' continued participation in the Scottish Cup, it won't be until April 19 or April 20 (the third last game of the season) before the two rivals meet each other again.

And so even more emphasis will be placed on the fixtures preceding that match. For Rangers, difficult away days at Queen of the South and Falkirk - with the Petrofac Training Cup final against Peterhead also cluttering their schedule.

Hibernian also face a tricky trip to Palmerston Park, and the Scottish League Cup final against Ross County on March 13. An away day at a revitalised St Mirren could also prove a test for Stubbs’ side.

It started early, with the transfer tug-of-war over Scott Allan, and it has continued ever since. One of the most compelling aspects of this season's title race have been the mind games between Stubbs and Warburton.

Ahead of the first meeting between the two clubs earlier this season, the Hibs boss claimed Warburton had had a "very easy job" in turning around Rangers' fortunes.

The Ibrox manager hit back at Stubbs, telling his Hibs counterpart to concentrate on his own side, only for Stubbs to once again send a barb in his direction, claiming Rangers were in denial over a winter slump.

In turn Warburton joked that he was more worried about buying his wife a Christmas present than what Stubbs had to say.

So are the mind games likely to get to one manager more than the other as the title race hots up?

Both teams are flying high at the top of the Championship table, but they have also made an impression in the cup competitions.

Hibernian still find themselves in both the Scottish Cup and the League Cup, having seen off St Johnstone, Dundee United, Aberdeen and most recently Hearts this season.

Rangers suffered a third round defeat to St Johnstone in the League Cup, but still find themselves in the Scottish Cup after beating Kilmarnock in a replay on Tuesday night.

Warburton’s side, in almost every sense, are seemingly preparing for a step-up in standard next season, but their performances in the cups have been more erratic than that of Hibs.

This week Stubbs admitted that the pressure of competing on three fronts may go some way to explaining why Hibernian have dropped crucial league points in recent weeks. The Easter Road club find themselves eight points adrift of the top, although they do hold a game in-hand.

In that sense, perhaps Rangers hold something of an advantage, although they too have a cup final between now and t he end of the season - albeit the Petrofac Training Cup final. Warburton also boasts a deeper squad than Stubbs, with the Ibrox side well-equipped to deal with the rigours of a title race alongside a cup run.