Paul Nicholls: Kauto 95 per cent likely for Gold Cup

Good gallop at Wincanton suggests Kauto is ready for a Cheltenham tilt. Final decision will be made on Monday and announced here

I was delighted with Kauto Star's gallop over 2m at Wincanton today, and at this stage I think he has a 95 per cent chance of lining up for the Gold Cup next Friday.

Today's gallop with Mon Parrain was clearly not searching at all - they just did a good half-speed and quickened slightly near the end, exactly as we had planned - but it was certainly a good blow out.

Kauto looked great, was full of enthusiasm, and Ruby had a job pulling him up. He was running away with Ruby throughout the gallop.

So let's see how he pulls out for exercise tomorrow morning, and we will go from there.

If all is well, he will school on the grass on Monday and hopefully we will be in a position to decide on his participation then. I will reveal our decision exclusively on Betfair as and when it is made.

But Kauto clearly has come a long, long way in a fortnight, and the signs look good at the moment.

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Watch Paul Nicholls and Donald McCain talking about the Gold Cup at Betfair's Cheltenham preview night

Paul Nicholls / 9 Mar 2012

Paul Nicholls: Kauto 95 per cent likely for Gold Cup

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Kauto and Ruby galloping at Wincanton

"Kauto looked great, was full of enthusiasm, and Ruby had a job pulling him up. He was running away with Ruby throughout the gallop."