Rich Ricci, interviewed after Vautour’s Ascot victory, reflected on the recent performances of his horses and recalled how someone had told him: “Sport doesn’t develop character, it reveals character.” It was also notable, he stated, for the fact that it offers the chance of redemption.

Obviously Faugheen’s defeat and an injury to Annie Power were unwelcome interruptions to the immediate campaigns of the Ricci big guns but, despite those setbacks, most owners would swop their hands for his.

Had Colin Tizzard uttered those words, they would have perhaps had an even stronger resonance. The Ricci stars are many, and while the Tizzards have had many horses over many years, one undoubtedly outshines everything else.

Vautour and Cue Card put their King George credentials on the line last Saturday and, if the former was workmanlike in his Ascot win, Cue Card raised cheers and spirits when running away with his second Betfair Chase.

His story fits the redemption card alright, as many might have written him off this season in the face of one of one of the strongest group of second season novice in many a year.

Cue Card’s redemption produced all the more feelgood feelings in that he was made not bought. It’s no disrespect to jump racing’s biggest owners to say they could lose a top horse and go out and buy another, should they wish.

Top chasers are hard to find for owners with less funds. Harder to buy, they need to be purchased before any ability has been shown. They are harder to keep at the top, and harder again to bring back after a year of underachieving or injury.

Cue Card was nurtured to the top by a father and son team who don’t dine at the top table in terms of expensively bought horses in the yard. One big horse might be all they could hope for in the course of a career. Cue Card is that horse.

In his first 20 races he was partnered by the trainer’s son Joe. It’s not a soap opera story but close to the everyday tale of country folk.

Cue Card won the Champion Bumper as a four-year-old, by eight lengths at 40/1, giving his trainer shivers down his spine. He was favourite for the 2011 Supreme Novices' but finished only fourth. (Some race that was - 1 Al Ferof, 2 Spirit Son, 3 Sprinter Sacre, 4 Cue Card.)

He made the transition to top novice chaser but had to bow to the irresistible force of Sprinter Sacre in the Arkle.

A year later he established himself as a legitimate Grade 1 chaser and got his due reward with a second Cheltenham win, this time in the Ryanair Chase.

After impressively winning the Betfair, he looked set for a follow up when clear two out in the King George but he folded rapidly before the last. That was the beginning of a period in the wilderness. Winless last year, he was twice well behind both Silviniaco Conti and Don Cossack.

This year, whether it was through surgery or being injury-free, Cue Card is a force to be reckoned with again and, among a bunch of chasers deemed so good that last year’s Gold Cup second and third are only fifth and eighth in the 2016 betting, Cue Card is back among them.

He’s been there, won there, fallen out of favour, been written off but now is back with a bang. Yes, that’s a redemption to be proud of.

He’s never been the type of horse to stand off, wing a fence and gain lengths but he’s quick and nimble and can shorten without losing impetus. Timeform gave him a high rating on Saturday, and it’s also possible he will gain a bit of stamina through age, though King’s Theatre horses do seem better at up to three miles. In Paddy Brennan he also a jockey riding him with confidence - “I love him, he’s a dude.”

The King George should be easier than the Gold Cup but at present the Gold Cup revolves around Coneygree’s stamina. Anything can happen and its more likely horses will drop out before March.

For the moment, Cue Card’s redemption is the reason why jump racing will always have the heart to push it far ahead of a dazzling star seen for maybe seven months of a flat season.

VAUTOUR

The other most talked about reappearance was at Ascot when Vautour showed just glimpses of the horse he was last year when winning over two miles and five furlongs, on good to soft ground, receiving 5lb and beating Ptit Zig who had finished over 18 lengths behind him at level weights on good ground at Cheltenham.

It was not necessarily the performance expected after last year’s Festival romp. He was very good over the fences up the side, but made one misjudgement and jumped a bit left though Ruby Walsh did not seem too concerned. Pau Nicholls does appear to rate Ptit Zig more highly this year. He was race-fit and was the trainer's charity bet ahead of Silviniaco Conti.

What is certain is that the majority of races between now and the spring Festivals are of less importance in the overall success story of the season for Closutton stars. Cheltenham is Plan A, then Punchestown.

Vautour will be much fitter for the King George. It was also pleasing that, having looked in a little trouble before the last, he knuckled down and fought off a fitter rival. If Djakadam can build on his form of last year and return for the Gold Cup, the Ryanair Chase is Vautour’s for the taking, should Mullins take the usual option of putting a horse in the race he is most likely to win.

Many can puff their stuff around the trial races, even pick up a few Grade 1s along the way, but the King George is the first race that really counts, the race in which a victory puts you alongside the great chasers and chasing legends. Vautour, Don Cossack, Cue Card have all set down markers and, despite their Kempton odds of 5/2 Vautour and 5/1 Cue Card, it was the Tizzard horse who made the biggest impression las week.

The temperature dropped significantly on Saturday but who noticed. Whatever conditions, there’s a red hot light glowing from Kempton for December 26th.

NOVICES

The Arkle Chase is building up to be one of the races of the Cheltenham Festival and two novice stars made their jumping debuts on Sunday and Monday.

Douvan may grab all the headlines, and he was pretty efficient at Navan, even a last fence misjudgement did not hinder his gallop. Better to do it on his first run and learn.

At Kempton on Monday, Vaniteux, who under-performed a bit last year in the top hurdle races, made an impressive chasing debut. And if you are of the opinion, backed up by recent performances, that perhaps the Henderson horses were just not A1 last year, then Vaniteux at 8/1 could be Arkle value. Douvan may be the dark destroyer and tower above his rivals, but Vaniteux is a fine-looking specimen too.

There is hardly a novice chase in Ireland that doesn’t have a possible Cheltenham contender and more will appear in the coming weeks. Shaneshill set his sights on the JLT Novices with a comfortable debut win at Thurles this week. To date, Sizing John, Kitten Rock here and Garde La Victoire and Bristol De Mai in Britain are in the 'have done nothing wrong' category after pleasing jumping debuts.

SYMPATHY

You could not leave the weekend without expressing sympathy for the loss of a talented horse.

Thoughts must also go Noel Meade and the Hunt family on the death of Mullaghnoe River in the Troytown Chase.

It’s a tough time to have good horses, there are just so many of them around. For example, Apache Stronghold is a Grade 1 chaser and yet he is no match for Vautour.

After the high-class but fragile Monksland picked up his first novice chase victory at Gowran he too will have to dodge the Mullins battalions to keep winning. Monksland runs in the same colours as Mullaghanoe River. It’s tough at the top so we must enjoy those who keep turning up.