Kauto survives blunders to win the King George

Kauto Star survived an horrendous mistake at the last fence to run out a hugely-impressive winner of the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Ruby Walsh sat near the pace throughout on the Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old and he well and truly lived up to his star billing.

After a bad blunder four out, he took up the running from Racing Demon jumping three from home.

He went clear on the run to the final obstacle and although he gave it an almighty clout, he still ran out an eight-length winner from Exotic Dancer at odds of 8-13.

Ollie Magern set a ferocious pace for the first mile before Monet's Garden, jumping boldly as expected under Tony Dobbin, took up the running.

Dobbin tried to stretch the field down the back straight but Kauto Star, Racing Demon and Exotic Dancer were all waiting to pounce.

As Racing Demon was sent on by Timmy Murphy, Walsh bided his time before a real scare at the fourth-last, one which would have stopped lesser animals.

He was quickly back on the bridle, however, and quickened like a class horse before guessing at the last in similar circumstances to Kicking King two years ago.

But Walsh sat tight and the plaudits will surely continue to roll for the highest-rated chaser since Desert Orchid.

He has now landed the first two legs of the #1million bonus on offer for any horse who can win the Betfair Chase, the King George and the biggest prize in steeplechasing, the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Walsh said: "He has to be one hell of a horse to do that after missing the fourth-last and the last as well.

"I thought I'd just let him pop it (the last) and he just came up out of my hands, but he's won easy.

'He's a machine. I've never ridden a horse like him. It's a privilege to ride him and he'll be even better going left-handed,' he told Channel Four.

Nicholls added: 'He wasn't concentrating. There's the big crowd and the big screen and he's just taken his eye off it.

'He just stepped at it, but he never looks like falling.

'His best round of jumping was at Haydock when we just dropped him in. Today we couldn't do that but he kept galloping and it's good for him and for the whole team to get it over and done with.'

Winning owner Clive Smith said: 'It was a pretty bad mistake at the fourth-last but I didn't see it that well.

'He's obviously a tremendous horse and he's got a big heart and plenty of speed.

Barry Simpson, racing manager to Sir Robert Ogden, owner of the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Exotic Dancer, said: 'I think he has run a career best. He didn't jump as fluently as he has in the past, but we are delighted with that. We will run him in a trial race over three miles, but he looks a Ryanair horse.'

Henrietta Knight said of Racing Demon: 'We were thrilled with him. He needs to jump a bit more economically, but he was one of the least experienced and that will come in time. We will take him home from here, but I think he wants at least three miles.'

Kauto Star is the 6-4 favourite with VC Bet, Stan James, Ladbrokes and William Hill for the Gold Cup, while Coral and Bet Direct go a stand-out 2-1.