Willie Mullins expects cracking King George Chase at Kempton

Willie Mullins is confident Vautour will raise his game for what he expects to be a “cracker of a King George” at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

Last season’s stunning JLT Novices’ Chase winner was long odds-on to make a successful reappearance in Saturday’s Stella Artois 1965 Chase at Ascot, but made hard work of beating Ptit Zig.

Mullins said: “It’s great to win. He jumped a little left, I haven’t had a chance to chat with Ruby (Walsh) about it yet.