Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices' Chase: Kitzbuhel routs rivals

Sent off the well-backed 13/8 favourite, he soon found himself in front and had his rivals at full stretch down the back straight for the final time.

They had closed on the home bend but very quick three out and spectacular at the last, the leader wasn’t for catching.

Thomas Mor (12/1) took second ahead of the staying-on Wendigo but neither looked like landing a telling blow.

Mullins said: “I thought he was spectacular. I was wondering if the ground was too good for him, but he handled it very well and he jumped off it fantastically. He gallops and he stays, what more could you want in a racehorse.

“You wouldn’t think there is any problem there (with the trip), and the ground was good enough in the Aintree race, but maybe if we go back to it there was some other reason. Looking at that he could easily go back to two and a half miles, there is nothing written in stone yet.

“You are hoping that they just keep jumping like that and that you don’t make one mistake and let the whole field back into the race. I was afraid of Paul Nicholls and his horse (Blueking D’Oroux), but that didn’t seem to jump well enough around here and then Philip Hobbs horse came with a rattle, but he just missed the second last a little bit.

“We’ve a nice team of novice chasers and hopefully they stay sound as they race. It is far too early for me to be planning anything, but I imagine you would be looking at the Dublin Racing Festival or whatever the equivalent is over here.

“Something like that (Scilly Isles) would be in the mix. We will see how everything goes over Christmas before we start making any plans.

“I could have brought Jimmy Du Seuil over and I wondered if that would have suited him better and we had to make a decision on Tuesday and we made it this way and it has worked out.

“He looked like an old hand. He was just so at home and Paul had so much confidence in him and the further he went the more confidence Paul had in him. If he can keep up that for the rest of the season that would be fantastic.”

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