King George at head of Top Notch agenda

Connections of Top Notch have been busy plotting a route to the 32 Red King George VI Chase at Kempton Park over Christmas for their unexposed and promising chaser.

The seven-year-old progressed steadily last season, winning three of his four chases, and the manner in which he came up the Sandown Hill on his final start – over an extended 2¾ miles – suggests he will cope with the step up to three miles.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager to owners Isaac Souede and Simon Munir, said yesterday: “I think he will have a similar path to last season.

“He might get a prep run at Aintree in the hurdle he ran in last season and then go for the 1965 Chase at Ascot, which he won last year.

“The King George was a race which we would like to have thought about last year – but when the owners had Bristol De Mai in the race and he was chasing the £1million bonus at the time, it did seem silly to have two in the race.”

On Saturday, Gordon Elliott won his third grand national since April 2 when Jury Duty landed the American National at Far Hills, New Jersey. The trainer landed the Irish National with General Principle and then the Aintree race with Tiger Roll.

Jury Duty, who had unseated his rider when favourite for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in March, was one of five raiders in the £200,000 contest.

He always travelled well and ran out a convincing winner, beating the Emmet Mullins-trained Tornado Watch by 3¼ lengths.