'Amazing' Kauto could head back to King George

CHAMPION trainer Paul Nicholls said on Sunday he will talk to owner Clive Smith to decide if star chaser Kauto Star will take his chance in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26.

The 11-year-old bounced back to his brilliant best when defeating last season's King George and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Long Run in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday, leaving Nicholls and Smith with the dilemma as to whether to run him in the race they have earmarked for stablemate Master Minded who also got back to winning ways at Ascot on Saturday.

Long Run is as short as 11-10 favourite for the Kempton race with Master Minded and KautoStar at 4-1 and Nicholls said: "If [Kauto Star] was eight years old he would be favourite now for the King George and the Gold Cup.

"It is going to make things very interesting now so Clive and I are going to have to sit down and have a good chat and make a bit of a game plan."

Kauto Star failed in his attempt to win the King George for the fifth time when finishing third last season and Nicholls continued: "Yesterday he was like he was two years ago. You would hardly know he had had a race and he was like that today. If he comes out of it we have got five weeks so we will see. Certainly on yesterday's runhe is entitled to be back there again."

Reflecting on Saturday's race, Nicholls told At The Races: "He was very, very fit we made sure of that. There was no point going there and needing a run.

"I have always wanted to make the running with him one day and Ruby [Walsh] and I had breakfast yesterday morning and we knew that we were going to jump out, use his stamina, use his jumping and try and get the rest into trouble and he broke the course record.It is amazing."

Master Minded, who was reported to be in top form on Sunday along with Kauto Star, ran out a three-length winner of the Grade 2 Amlin 1965 Chase after finishing last of three on his seasonal return at Aintree last month and Nicholls continued: "He needed the run the last day at Aintree which I tried to explain to everybody he would.

"Back on a right-handed track, which he does favour, he was awesome again yesterday and I think that there is still improvement to come because I have said all along that I want him at his very best on Boxing Day."

Having seen two of his stable favourites hit the headlines again, Nicholls is hoping that third can when he heads to Ireland at the end of next month.

"I love the challenge of getting these older horses back and now we have just got to get Denman in that sort of form for the Lexus and it will be awesome if we can do that," he added.