Racing:Paul Nicholls is relishing the challenge of preparing Kauto Star for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. The champion trainer revealed his stable stalwart had suffered "a small bleed" when failing to win the William Hill King George VI for a fifth time at Kempton on Saturday but all roads still lead to Prestbury Park.
Writing in his exclusive column at www.betfair.com/paulnichollsthe champion trainer said: "I have just spoken to Clive (Smith). We agreed that yesterday now gives us a bit of challenge with the horse - and hopefully we, and most importantly, the horse will rise to it.
"He will be prepared for a tilt at a third Gold Cup victory in March - different ground, different track, different day - and we would like to aim him for a third victory at Down Royal in the autumn, too. As long as he is enjoying his racing and running well, then he will continue - he is 11, not 13.
"Yesterday, was undoubtedly a big disappointment. He was never travelling or jumping with any real fluency, but it wasn't as if he ran a poor race. Without his blunder at the second last, he probably would have been a fair second to a very good horse. But that clearly wasn't his best form.
"I am not making excuses but I can reveal that when he got back last night and stuck his head in the water bucket, he bled from both nostrils. He has never done it before, and will probably never do it again. It wasn't a big bleed but it indicates that he probably bled during the race (possibly after his mistake at the second last, which meant he had to dig deep to get home), which would not have aided his cause."
Kauto Star eventually finished third behind Long Run in the King George and is the only horse in history to ever regain the Cheltenham Gold Cup crown having won it in 2007 and 2009.