King George VI Chase: Silviniaco Conti defends Kempton title

Silviniaco Conti has now won three of his last four races

Silviniaco Conti led from start to finish to complete back-to-back wins in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

The 15-8 favourite travelled well throughout and jumped superbly to give trainer Paul Nicholls a record ninth win in the race.

Noel Fehily's mount set the early pace with Irish challenger Champagne Fever.

As his rivals faded, Silviniaco Conti held on to win by four-and-a-half lengths from Dynaste (7-1) with Al Ferof (7-1) third for Nicholls.

He is now priced as favourite at around 5-2 for March's Cheltenham Gold Cup, a race where he finished fourth this year, and Nicholls has yet to decide whether the eight-year-old runs again before the Festival.

"He's a much improved horse this year and you never stop learning about him," said Nicholls. "I just think he's in a much better place now. He's a real true stayer and we can look better towards Cheltenham.

"He jumped well, he just gallops and stays, that was our plan - to make it a test, as he's really fit."

Fehily was also full of praise for his mount, who had impressed in his last outing in Haydock's Betfair Chase last month.

"I think he's proved today what a very good horse he is, whatever the ground," he said. "He did it the hard way, he went a real good gallop and picked it up from the bend.

"I gave him a little breather on the bend and I knew when I gave him a squeeze he would pick up and it would take a good one to go past me."