Ruby Walsh reports Vautour to be "bombing" on the gallops as he bids to get his season back on track in Sunday's Leopardstown Killiney Novice Chase.
Last season's stunning Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner made a foot-perfect start to his career over fences at Navan in November, but was not travelling with his usual panache even before he made a shuddering mistake in the back straight at Leopardstown on Boxing Day.
Paul Townend deputised in the saddle over Christmas, with Walsh in action at Kempton, and the leading rider cannot wait to get back on board this weekend.
"The world and its mother knows that he ran a shocker at Leopardstown and, if there is an explanation for that effort, then I don't know what it is," Walsh said in his Irish Examiner column.
"What I do know is I sat on Vautour during the week and he is bombing. He never turned up the last day, but I'm especially looking forward to getting him right back on track."
Vautour is opposed by just two rivals, with the Mouse Morris-trained Real Steel and 11-year-old chasing debutant Aladdins Cave taking him on.
