Mullins confident Fever will stay Willie Mullins does not expect the step up to three miles to trouble Champagne Fever in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26. A dual Cheltenham Festival winner, having claimed the Champion Bumper and the Supreme Novices' Hurdle over two miles, the flying grey will be tackling the longer distance for the first time over the Festive period. The seven-year-old made an excellent start to the new campaign with an authoritative victory in the Clonmel Oil Chase over an intermediate trip of two and a half miles. Speaking from a press day at his Closutton yard, Mullins said: "Champagne Fever is bred to get three miles plus, so I don't see the trip being an issue." Champagne Fever is the general second favourite for the King George, but Mullins accepts Kempton regular Florida Pearl, who won the King George in 2001, was a more potent challenger. He said: "Champagne has never won at Christmas. "He was beaten in a bumper when we thought he was a certainty and he fell last year - maybe it's not his time of year. "I saw some statistics that King George winners needed to have the other day. "I think there were 11 (statistics) and he only qualified on three of them. "I was certainly more confident going over with Florida Pearl. He appears to have a fair hill to climb."
