Nicholls Confident Star Will Shine

Paul Nicholls does not believe inexperience will be a hindrance to ante-post favourite Kauto Star in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The trainer has drawn parallels between the six-year-old and Call Equiname, who won the race for the stable seven years ago.

'People will point to his inexperience but it is his fifth start as a chaser and it was Call Equiname's fifth start when he won,' he said.

'As a five-year-old he won the Tingle Creek nicely and that wasn't his ideal way round going right-handed. A lot of the French horses seem to prefer going left because they are only used to tracks like Auteuil and Engheim.

'He is fresh and well and he'll have a gallop somewhere weather permitting, either at the end of this week or the start of next week.

'He is the only one of my horses whose preparation we have had to alter slightly by being unable to get a race into him because of the weather. But it wouldn't matter to him because he is straightforward to train and goes well when he is fresh.

'There's certainly no problem with his fitness. He is as fit as a flea. The gallop will just help to sharpen his mind a little.'

? PA Sport