Paul Nicholls: Unbelievable Kauto has never looked better

Ante-Post Plans / Paul Nicholls / 13 January 2012 / 2

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Kauto enjoys his victorious return to Ditcheat and is raring to go for the Gold Cup

"Kauto is in a real good place at the moment and if I can get him to Cheltenham on March 16 in the same kind of form he is in at the moment, then I will be a very happy man."

Paul has been quite astounded by a super fresh Kauto Star this week, and he takes the chance to fill us in on the former champ and all his other Gold Cup contenders

You would have thought after 30 races and 19 victories for us - among them five King Georges, four Betfair Chases and two Gold Cups - that I would have seen it all with Kauto Star.

But the horse continues to astound me.

He came out of his box this morning, even with the temperature at -1, with a real spring in his step and I can tell you now that I have never seen the horse look better. Never. He looked superb in his coat and if you thought he looked in great condition in the paddock at Kempton on Boxing Day, then you really should have been here this morning. He looked magnificent.

He has come out of the race unbelievably well, has put on weight after Kempton, and Clifford can't believe how fresh he is. In truth, we would have liked to have done a little less with him, but he is so well in himself that we had to get him back cantering much earlier than we expected.

He is in a really good place at the moment and, if I can get him to Cheltenham on March 16 in the same kind of form he is in at the moment, I will be a very happy man.

He is one of five entries I have in the Gold Cup, and I will take this opportunity to give you a brief update on the rest.

What A Friend came back a sick horse from Wetherby but he is back on track now and the aim is for him to run in the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury next month and then on to the Gold Cup, in which he finished a superb fourth last season, just a nose behind Kauto.

The Minack and Tidal Bay are both on course to take on Grands Crus and Time For Rupert in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham on January 28. The Minack would probably need soft ground to run in the Gold Cup but we will see how he gets on this month, and he certainly impressed me when winning at Ascot off a mark of 150 last time. I was also happy enough with Tidal Bay's comeback in a handicap hurdle and, as well as the Gold Cup, he will have an entry in the World Hurdle, a race in which he finished seventh in two years ago. Tidal Bay finished second to Neptune Collonges in the Argento last year.

Andy Stewart's Poquelin is far more likely to be aimed at the Ryanair. He could go to Cheltenham for a handicap on the 28th, where he will be keeping the Cleeve Hurdle-bound Big Buck's company.

Big Buck's is another in very good order.

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Andrew | 16 January 2012

I was lucky enough to have a trip round Ditcheat whilst Paul was on holidays last week. Kauto looked truly amazing. I chatted to Clifford whilst Kauto buzzed about taking it all in. He would be staggering at 8 years old, but at 12 he is in a class apart. Astonishing horse in a million.
Denman looked a bit lonely next door though......
Geoff Peacock | 23 January 2012

Paul,
I was eagerly awaiting the step in trip for Silviniaco Conti in the Feltham and felt justified with his excellent staying on second to Grand Crus. He jumped very well and his breeding suggested to me that he wanted this sort of trip. I feel that if he is allowed to run in the RSA Chase it will pay massive dividends! I cannot understand his current odds on Betfair (32.00), is there something wrong with him or are you targetting him at another race? Hopefully not.

Good luck,
Geoff