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.

“Maybe it was just fitness, he was taking on race-fit horses and he had to travel to England and that’s hard to do for your first run.

“He didn’t look as good as people might have hoped that he could be, but I think he’ll improve.”

Vautour is set to meet the likes of Betfair Chase winner Cue Card and possibly Gold Cup hero Coneygree in the Christmas showpiece, and he added: “It’s going to be a cracker of a King George.”

Betfair has been announced as the new sponsor of the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in a two-year deal.

The company is the first to use its status as an authorised betting partner to reach an agreement to expand its sponsorship portfolio with Jockey Club Racecourses, owner of Sandown.