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Trainer considering substitutes for King George date.

Warren Greatrex is considering options at Leopardstown and Huntingdon as alternatives to the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase for star mare La Bague Au Roi .

Having tasted Grade One glory in the Flogas Novice Chase at the Dublin track in February, the eight-year-old could tackle the Savills Chase back at that track on December 28, although the Fitzdares Peterborough Chase on December 8 is also the radar.

La Bague Au Roi failed to make a winning return to action for the first time in five seasons when pulling up in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

Greatrex said: "She is already in the King George and she will have an entry in the Peterborough Chase. The King George looks like it could be a war of attrition.

"To be fair, I think when you speak to Richard Johnson he thinks two and a half is her best trip, but she gets three. She is very versatile trip-wise though.

"We could possibly go back to Ireland and I'm thinking of giving her an entry in the Savills Chase as she won a Grade One novice there last season."

Mulcahys Hill remains on course to have his first outing over the famous Grand National fences at Aintree on Saturday week in the Randox Health Becher Chase after recovering from a minor setback.

He said: "The plan is to still go for the Becher with him. He banged a joint, hence why he didn't run at Cheltenham.

"It could be a blessing though, as he is much better fresh.

"Cheltenham would have probably been too close and I think the Becher is probably his sort of race."

The Lambourn handler is assessing a number of options for Grade Two winner Keeper Hill, who struck gold in a graduation contest at Haydock last Saturday.

He said: "He is unlikely to go to the Sefton as that is only two weeks away, as is the Many Clouds on the same card.

"He had a hard race on Saturday. It was a serious performance – he made one bad mistake with a circuit to go, but his jumping was good after that.

"He will be entered in the Silver Bowl at Ascot and he will be entered in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham, but personally I think he is better on a flatter track."