Mount Benbulben will head straight to Kempton for King George

Mount Benbulben will head straight to Kempton for the William Hill King George VI Chase on St Stephen’s Day.

The Grade One-winning novice looked certain to play a hand in the finish of the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on his only run to date this season but unseated Danny Mullins at the fourth-last.

Trainer Gordon Elliott and owner Barry Connell had discussed trying to get another run into him in a race like the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown but have decided to keep their powder dry and send him to England for the Christmas highlight.

“He’ll go straight to the King George now, there’s nothing for him,” said Connell. “We could have run him in the John Durkan but that’s only two and a half miles and would have been too short.

"He has at least had the benefit of a run and schooled a week after Down Royal and jumped perfect. We'll take him for a racecourse gallop a week or two before Christmas and hopefully that will put him spot on.

'Running rail'
"I think what will help him at Kempton is the fact that there is a running rail the whole way round as he does tend to lug to his right. He made a very similar mistake in the Powers Gold Cup to his one at Down Royal and came back to win the Grade One at Punchestown.

“We think the King George is the right race. Cue Card is a worthy favourite after Haydock and looking at his pedigree there should never have really been a doubt about his stamina. He certainly looks the one to beat.”

Cue Card is said to be “a happy horse” after his superb victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

Trainer Colin Tizzard reports his stable star to have taken in his stride his exertions on Merseyside where he was a clear-cut winner of a top-quality renewal of the Grade One contest to expel all doubts about him staying three miles.

Last season’s Ryanair Chase hero will run next in the King George, for which he is now ante-post favourite, while he also staked a big claim for the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

“He’s come out of the race brilliant. We cantered him yesterday and again today,” said Tizzard.

“He’s actually fine and has come out of it really well. He is a happy horse.”