Bacchanal returns with easy win Bacchanal heads for the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park after making a winning reappearance in the Future Stars Chase at Sandown today.Sent off the 4-9 favourite, he came into the race with doubts surrounding his fitness and his fencing, but he silenced any such concerns with a forthright victory.JP MacNamara sent Granit d`Estruval into the lead at the start of the back straight but Bacchanal`s rider, Mick Fitzgerald, didn`t panic and his mount eased back into the lead approaching the third-last fence.With Granit d`Estruval covered, Fitzgerald looked over his shoulder to check on the location of Be My Manager, obviously unaware that his sole other rival had crashed out with over a mile to run.Out in front, Bacchanal jumped the final two fences with the same fluency he had handled the first 15 and last year`s winner of the Stayers` Hurdle scored by 26 lengths.'He`s not fit, you saw him in the paddock, he looked like a bull,' said winning trainer Nicky Henderson. 'But we`ll have him fit by Boxing Day!'He takes a serious amount of work to get ready.'I am thrilled to see him jump like that. He`s had a lot of schooling and it has done the job.'He was brilliant and he`s getting better all the time.'Coral make Bacchanal a 5-1 chance (from 7-1) for the Boxing Day showpiece.
