Scotia It`s getting cold in the Scotland.

Paul Nicholls feels totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Kauto Star is "as good as ever".


Nicholls said: "He is in good form and put in his best-ever career performance in last year's Gold Cup.

"He is doing everything right and will start off at either Down Royal or Haydock.

"I have no real preference, but he won't be doing both this year as Haydock came too soon after Down Royal last year.

"The King George will be Kauto's second race this season, and it would be nice to think that he can be the first horse to win the King George four times on the trot.

"He will then go straight to the Gold Cup. A lot can happen between now and then, but he is still the one to beat and I think he is as good as ever."

Denman looking good and will have a race course gallop at Exeter before heading for the Hennessy..

Nicholls said:

"He looks amazing compared to this time last year after he had his heart problem.

"His heart has been tested and is 100% normal, and I think he is as he was before winning the Gold Cup two years ago.

"I will give him a racecourse gallop at Exeter on November 10, when he will open a bar named after him, and the Hennessy is favourite for his first race of the season.

"The Betfair Chase at Haydock is there as a back up, and I suspect that he will travel to Ireland again over Christmas."

Morning Hibby, its steaming hot in Pretoria but would love to be at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, but need a few winners to make it happen.

Scotland is officially the most obese nation in Europe. You have to really wonder what it would be like if it wasn't for all the heroine.

They were talking about making the next James Bond Scottish, but just as well they didn't because Bond was always traveling to all different countries and if he were Scottish he would never get out of the duty free. "come on Bond we have only got 18 hours to save the world" "Its all very well Que, but have you seen the price of these bottles of Stella Artois"?

Kauto Stone lands Group 2 as Temple Lord fifth


Report: France, Sunday

Auteuil: Prix Georges de Talhouet-Roy (Group 2 Hurdle)

KAUTO STONE took a step closer to matching his dual Gold Cup-winning half-brother Kauto Star when claiming a first Group 2 win and beating the Tony McCoy-ridden Temple Lord into fifth.


Kauto Stone made all the running under Christophe Pieux and part-owner Louise Kemble, who is chief executive of the Thoroughbred Breeder's Association, said: "ThankGod we have resisted all offers so far. It was very exciting today and he remains in France for the moment ."

Trainer Jehan Betran de Balanda said "This performance confirms that he is a very good horse and he goes so well for Christophe.

"I was a little frightened about the soft track before but the horse was very relaxed throughout the race."

Temple Lord came under pressure in the straight and plugged on for fifth but was very one-paced and McCoy was disappointed.

"He was very disappointing there," said the champion jockey. "He just didn't pick up. It may have been the soft ground. I don't know where he'll go next."

Next for Kauto Stone is a step up to Group 1 class on November 8 for the Prix Cambaceres - juvenile championship hurdle - at Auteuil. Owner JP McManus had planned to aim Temple Lord at the same contest but that has been put on hold.

Trainer Guy Cherel added of Temple Lord: "I feel he needs faster ground and he was blowing a lot after the race.

"His blood test was fine earlier in the week and he has been working well so I don't quite understand what went wrong today. He will have tests when he gets back to the stable."

Frank Berry, owner J P McManus' racing manager, said "We feel he wasn't liking the ground and there are no excuses. Tony said he was struggling a bit even before the straight. He didn't pick up and just flattened."

Owner favours Haydock option for Kauto return


KAUTO STAR'S owner, Clive Smith, appears to favour seeing his dual Gold Cup winner return to action in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 21 rather than reappearing in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal a fortnight earlier.

Kauto Star contested both races last year, winning by 11 lengths at Down Royal before unseating Sam Thomas at the last when bidding to complete a hat-trick in the 3m event at Haydock.

However, the nine-year-old looks unlikely to be asked to contest both races this season.

Smith said: "I'm hoping Kauto Star might go to Haydock but nothing has been decided and it depends on the ground. We will keep our options open."

Trainer Paul Nicholls also has 2007 winner Taranis and My Will entered for the Down Royal contest.

Hurricane and Binocular clash may be on cards


THE new jumps season could feature an early clash of the titans with Hurricane Fly and Binocular both being considered for the Grade 1 Maplewood Developments Hurdle at Punchestown on November 15.

Hurricane Fly is ante-post favourite for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle on the back of an outstanding novice season which yielded three Grade 1 wins, culminating in a seven-length rout of Kempes in the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in April.

Willie Mullins, who trains Hurricane Fly for George Creighton, said on Tuesday: "We are looking at starting him off in the Punchestown race. He's working away nicely and is in good form.

"It is a nice prize at a track he has won a couple of times in the past and while we will wait until closer to the day before making a decision, the chances are that he will be going there."


Binocular, who won his first two outings last term in imperious fashion before finishing a close third in the Champion Hurdle, may also head to Punchestown for his seasonal debut.

Frank Berry, racing manager to owner J P McManus, said: "It could be on the cards but the horse has to work next week first.

"Nicky [Henderson] is very happy with Binocular at the minute. There aren't too many options around for him and the Irish race would fit into his schedule."

Dual Champion Hurdle-winner Hardy Eustace, winner of the Maplewood Developments Hurdle in 2008, is another possible runner.

Trainer Dessie Hughes said of the 12-year-old: "We haven't finally decided whether he is going to race this season. He seems to be in good form and is working away, but I'd like to think that he would be capable of doing himself justice. We will wait a bit longer before making a decision."

The 15 entries for the 2m Grade 1 event also include 2007 Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity, Solwhit, a dual Grade 1 winner last season when he landed the Aintree Hurdle and the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, Go Native, winner of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and exciting four-year-old Jumbo Rio.

Kauto 1-2 to appear in most Ten to Follow lists


KAUTO STAR is 1-2 favourite with Totesport to be the most popular selection in the Tote/Racing Post jumps Ten to Follow competition.

The dual Gold Cup winner was the No.1 pick last season, appearing in 52,072 lists, 5,000 more than Master Minded, who is second-favourite at 2-1.

Totesport spokesman George Primarolo said: "The most popular Ten to Follow selection is surely going to be a Paul Nicholls-trained horse, and we reckon reigning champion Kauto Star will still be in most lists despite having a slightly lighter campaign planned for him.

"Master Minded is the obvious choice in the two-mile chase division, while Big Buck's will have his supporters given that his nearest challengers may well be going novice chasing."

Entries for this season's ten to follow competition must be submitted by 12pm on Friday, November 13.

MOST SELECTED TEN TO FOLLOW HORSE
Totesport: 1-2 Kauto Star, 2-1 Master Minded, 14-1 Big Buck's, 20-1 Denman, 33-1 Hurricane Fly, 40-1 Binocular, Dunguib, 50-1 Cooldine

Denman on hand to open stand extension at Exeter

EXETER is officially opening its new £2.2 million grandstand extension on Tuesday, and they have popular chaser Denman to attract the punters and kick off proceedings - before seeing him strut his stuff on the track.


Denman will partner stablemate Beshabar ina racecourse gallop as part of his preparation a crack at the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury at the end of November.

Trainer Paul Nicholls reported in his Saturday column in the Racing Post that Denman was in fine shape.

Nicholls said: "Clifford Baker rode Denman in a piece of work last Saturday and he thought he was right back to his best. I couldn't be happier with the way he's looking or working."

The gates open at 11am, Denman will parade at mid-day before having a racecourse gallop at 12:20, after which he will open the Denman bar.

Pay pay!

Master Minded odds-on for Connaught Chase


BOOKMAKER Paddy Power has installed Master Minded as their 8-13 favourite for Sunday's Connaught Chase as nine entries were revealed for the Cheltenham Open meetingclash.


The assault against the dual Champion Chase winner's perfect record over two miles since arriving from France will be lead by the veteran Well Chief, who the bookmakers make 2-1 second favourite following his second to Master Minded at the Cheltenham Festival following a long lay-off.

Also set to oppose Paul Nicholls's two-miler are old rivals Newmill, fourth in the Champion Chase but without a victory since 2007, and Mahogany Blaze. Last month's easy Wetherbyhandicap chase winner Striking Article, trained by Howard Johnson, is rated a 10-1 chance.

The Thomas Mullins-trained Made In Taipan, whose sole previous visit to Cheltenham resulted in a fourth to Forpadydeplasterer in last season's Arkle, could make a quick reappearance having finished second to Big Zeb at Navan in Sunday.

Mullins said: "At the moment, Made In Taipan would be about 60/40 to go to Cheltenham. He will probably want it heavier and may even want more of a trip to see him at his best. We will definitely step him up to two and a half miles as soon as we can.

"He ran well enough in the Arkle at Cheltenham last year so the course will not be a problem and if the rain comes, he would have a squeak."

Connaught Chase

Paddy Power: 8-13 Master Minded, 10 Mahogany Blaze, 16 Striking Article, Newmill, 50 William Butler, 250 Kinkeel, SP only Free World, Made In Taipan.

Kauto Star could face big field in King George


THE William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26 has attracted 32 entries, raising the possibility that Kauto Star could face a big field when he bids to equal Desert Orchid's record four wins in the Grade 1 contest.

The King George has a maximum field size of 20, and among those who could stand in Kauto Star's way in the 3m contest are Albertas Run, second in last year's race, Monet's Garden, Our Vic and Ryanair Chase first and second Imperial Commander and Voy Por Ustedes.

Ryanair Chase winner Imperial Commander is due to clash with Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase later this month, and they could renew the rivalry in the King George.


The pair have had only one previous racecourse encounter, having met in last season's King George when a below-par Imperial Commander was left detached as Kauto Star stormed to his third consecutive victory in the race.


Anticipating the rematch, Imperial Commander's trainer, Nigel Twiston-Davies, said: "He is in very good order and the plan is to go to Haydock if the ground is not too soft. He failed to get home when pulling too hard in testing conditions at Punchestown. Haydock is an easier course these days and it should suit him. We'll see how he gets on there against Kauto Star."

Ryanair third Schindlers Hunt, 2006 Gold Cup winner WarOf Attrition and RSA Chase winner Cooldine are among six possible King George runners from Ireland.

Madison Du Berlais, who established his credentials as a serious threat to Kauto Star's staying chaser crown by defeating both Denman and Exotic Dancer last season, has been installed 7-2 favourite by the race sponsors in the 'without Kauto Star' market on the King George.

Opposition mounts to Kauto Star's Betfair bid


MET OFFICE warnings that Haydock would be hit by a deluge of rain on Thursday and Friday - up to 100mm were forecast - have proved wide of the mark, paving the way for the eagerly awaited return of two-time Totesport Gold Cup winner Kauto Star on Saturday.

Clive Smith's pride and joy has been confirmed a certain starter in theBetfair Chase by trainer Paul Nicholls, whatever the going, but will face not only extremely testing conditions but potentially the biggest field in the five-year history of the race, headed by heavy-ground-loving Notre Pere.


Haydock clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright's optimism that the meeting would survive the spell of wet weather seemed well founded on Thursday, when the amount of rain predicted to fall in the next 48 hours was considerably downgraded.

Tellwright said: "There was 3mm in the gauge this morning and it has been dry since.

"According to the forecast, we are due a total of 16mm by the end of Friday, and then possibly 10mm on raceday.

"The going is soft, heavy in places. We might find, based on the forecast, that we are heavy on Saturday, but I'm confident we'll get through the day."

However, the possibility of Kauto Star being more vulnerable to defeat was reflected in both the declared number of runners - nine would be the biggest Betfair Chase field since the Grade 1 race was inaugurated in 2005 - and market moves.

Kauto Star, having been odds-on with Victor Chandler and Coral in the morning, was pushed out to evens with both firms , while 5-4 was available with Paddy Power, Stan James and Totesport.

The 20-1 available on Thursday morning about Halcon Genelardais - winner of the 2006 Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on soft ground - had evaporated by the evening, with the Alan King-trained nine-year-old generally 14-1.

King said: "We're going to Haydock because of the ground. I'm hoping that the going will slow some of the others up!

"I don't envisage him winning the Betfair Chase, but there is a lot of prize-money on offer and I'm hopeful he can run well.

"We can't have any real pretensions of beating Kauto Star, but it looks like the testing conditions will probably suit us more than some of the others."

Another runner suited by soft ground is Notre Pere and trainer Jim Dreaper said on Thursday: "He needs a personal best to beat Kauto, if Kauto runs to his best.

"He will go on any ground other than firm, but because of his lack of real pace, against horses with Kauto Star's pace, he's more effective when it becomes difficult for the others.

"He schooled earlier in the week, is in great order and is ready to go."

Ryanair winner Imperial Commander, Madison Du Berlais, who won the Hennessy last year, and Kauto Star's stablemate Nozic were all declared to run on Saturday, as were Rambling Minster, Seymour Weld and TheSawyer.