Vautour hard to fancy in Cheltenham Gold Cup

My immediate reaction, after Willie Mullins’ Vautour had failed to cope with Cue Card in the King George at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day, was to dismiss him as a possible Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.

I have had plenty of time this week to give the matter further thought and there still seems no good reason to alter that view.

You cannot conclude Vautour didn’t stay three miles around Kempton, having been mugged in literally the final stride, but the performance clearly raised massive doubts regarding his ability to get three and a quarter at Cheltenham.