Fitz Expects More From Star

Mick Fitzgerald believes Cheltenham will hold no fears for William Hill - Tingle Creek Trophy Chase winner Kauto Star.

The Irish rider stepped in to partner Paul Nicholls´ runner after Ruby Walsh suffered a shoulder injury and expects the five-year-old to improve on Saturday´s Grade One success.

'I think we have seen Moscow Flyer at his best and we all know how good he is,' Fitzgerald told At The Races.

'With this fellow I think we haven´t seen the best of him. I think he´s going to be a much better horse on better ground - Ruby said the same when I spoke to him before the race.

'I think he´s going to be a much better horse jumping left-handed, all in all I think he´s a very high-class horse.'

Kauto Star was having just his fourth start over fences in the two-mile feature and impressed when beating Ashley Brook by a length and a half.

Fitzgerald took up the running three fences from home at Sandown after a steady early tempo but believes Kauto Star will be more suited to the hectic pace of the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March.

'The way the Champion Chase is run will really suit him. I felt I was stuck between a rock and a hard place in that I had to send him on a little bit as I didn´t feel like he was able to use his jumping because we were going so slow on that ground,' he said.

'I think he will be a much better horse around Cheltenham. I think there´s one really tricky fence at Cheltenham, especially on the Old Course where the Champion Chase is run.

'He´s very solid, down on his feet, and I loved him. I would have no worries about riding him round Cheltenham.'

(C) PA Sport