Willie Mullins confident Vautour will step up to Grade One level

Willie Mullins believes Vautour's jumping technique will stand him in good stead as he prepares to make his second appearance over fences at Leopardstown next week.

Last season's runaway Supreme Novices' Hurdle hero, made a seamless transition to the larger obstacles with a foot-perfect display at Navan last month and will step up to Grade One level for the Racing Post Novice Chase on St Stephen's Day.

The five-year-old is already towards the forefront of ante-posts lists for both the Arkle Trophy and the JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham next March.

"Vautour was very impressive at Navan. It's always spectacular when horses stand off a long way at fences, but they need to be just as good in close and he was," said Mullins.

“In the Supreme it was like he went round on rails and I didn’t think he could keep it up, but he did.

“He jumped hurdles nicely and seems to jump fences just as well.”

Vautour is one of 13 horses in contention for the Racing Post Novice Chase following the latest forfeit stage, with Mullins also responsible for Fairyhouse winners Valseur Lido and Adriana Des Mottes.

Other possible runners include Noel Meade’s Chancol, the Enda Bolger-trained Gilgamboa and Clarcam from Gordon Elliott’s yard.

Mullins expects "huge improvement" from Faugheen in the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Stunning winner

A stunning winner at Cheltenham and Punchestown in the spring as a novice, the six-year-old leapt to the head of ante-post lists for next year’s Champion Hurdle with a brilliant return to action in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot in November.

He will return to Grade One level on December 26th and Ireland’s champion trainer believes his charge will strip much fitter with a comeback run under his belt.

Mullins said: “There must be huge improvement in Faugheen as he was pretty fat going to Ascot.

“Last season Faugheen was fit and scrawny and I was wondering where the improvement was coming from, but he must have come back in from grass 100 weight heavier.”

Mullins does not expect the step up to three miles to trouble Champagne Fever in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

A dual Cheltenham Festival winner, having claimed the Champion Bumper and the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle over two miles, the flying grey will be tackling the longer distance for the first time over the festive period.

The seven-year-old made an excellent start to the new campaign with an authoritative victory in the Clonmel Oil Chase over an intermediate trip of two and a half miles.

“Champagne Fever is bred to get three miles plus, so I don’t see the trip being an issue,” said Mullins.

More potent

Champagne Fever is the second favourite for the King George, but Mullins accepts Kempton regular Florida Pearl, who won it in 2001, is a more potent challenger.

“Champagne has never won at Christmas.

“He was beaten in a bumper when we thought he was a certainty and he fell last year – maybe it’s not his time of year.

“I saw some statistics that King George winners needed to have the other day.

“I think there were 11 (statistics) and he only qualified on three of them.

“I was certainly more confident going over with Florida Pearl. He appears to have a fair hill to climb.”