Racing: Kauto Star's next competitive appearance on a racecourse looks highly likely to be in the Champion Chase at Down Royal on November 7th.
Paul Nicholls' superstar obliged on his first visit to Northern Ireland last winter and will then move on to Kempton in an effort to equal Desert Orchid's four victories in the William Hill King George VI Chase.
"In my mind, he will probably go to Down Royal again, ground permitting," said Nicholls. "I am not too keen on the race at Haydock, obviously things did not go great there this season and I think we know now - the more space there is between his races and the fresher he is, the better.
"It is going to be difficult to win four King Georges like Dessie.
"It's always hard to compare horses of different eras - Dessie was a great horse then, and Kauto is a great horse now."
In Kauto Star's way in the King George will be the Nacarat, brilliant winner of the Racing Post Chase at the course earlier this year before taking a good third to Voy Por Ustedes in the Melling Chase at Aintree.
Trainer Tom George said: "I was going to run Nacarat in the King George in 2008 but I didn't want to ruin his handicap mark for the Racing Post Chase so we missed it.
"However, the King George is definitely the target in 2009 and he will have one run before heading to Kempton Park next season."