Wow factor was missing with Vautour at Ascot

We can dress it up in any manner we want, but there is simply no denying that the wow factor was missing with Vautour at Ascot last Saturday.

This was the horse that blew literally everyone away with a scintillating 15 lengths success in the JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in March.

That extraordinary display of jumping and raw power had become firmly embedded in all of our minds and, subconsciously at least, we settled down to watch Ascot expecting more of the same.