Yanworth ran out an authoritative winner of the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

After making a successful reappearance over an intermediate distance in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot last month, connections considered a step up to three miles but he instead reverted to two miles for this Grade One event and was the 5-4 favourite in the hands of Barry Geraghty.

Just as he had done when winning the International Hurdle at Cheltenham a couple of weeks ago, The New One set out to make all the running, with his old foe My Tent Or Yours in his slipstream throughout.

Geraghty was happy to sit in behind aboard the Alan King-trained Yanworth and while his jumping was not always slick, he remained bang in contention rounding the home turn.

The further Yanworth went the better he looked and after hitting the front on the run to the final flight, he pulled clear on the run-in to score by three and a quarter lengths.

The New One was a clear second, with Ch’tibello coming through to beat My Tent Or Yours to third.

King said: “I’m relieved. I thought today was a bit against us. Kempton is a sharp track and we didn’t get the rain I was hoping for in the week. I’m delighted. I thought we were vulnerable today.

“Ascot probably stood him in good stead. He had to battle that day and it helped him.

“I wouldn’t mind if we went straight to Cheltenham. I’ll speak to JP (McManus, owner) and Frank (Berry (racing manager). I wouldn’t mind that.

“He doesn’t take a lot of work. He might have one more race for match practice, I don’t know. I’ll speak to the team, but I’d be relaxed if we went straight to Cheltenham.”

In the big race of the day, Thistlecrack produced an incredible performance to run out a brilliant winner of the King George VI Chase.

The dominant force in the staying hurdle division last season and unbeaten in just three previous starts over fences, the Colin Tizzard-trained eight-year-old was sent off the 11-10 favourite to see off four rivals which included his stable companion and last year’s winner Cue Card (5-4).