Kauto ready for King George Paul Nicholls feels the expected softer conditions will play to Kauto Star's strengths in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Saturday. Clive Smith's chaser will be seeking to win the race for a record fifth time. "Obviously the race being delayed is a setback, different horses will be different. It doesn't appear to have made any difference to Kauto Star because he likes to be really fresh and well and you don't have to murder him in his work," the Ditcheat trainer told At The Races. "He had a nice little break for a week after the day it was due to be run. He still cantered every day, we have just picked him up quietly and he's in really good form. It doesn't seem to have affected him at all. "He worked great on Saturday morning and we are very happy with him. "He was in good order when he won at Down Royal and he's improved a lot for that run. "Clifford (Baker, head lad) rode him Saturday and he keeps saying to me the horse feels as he good as he has ever felt so I hope he's right. "It is totally different race to what it would have been on Boxing Day. It would have been really good ground then, on Saturday if the forecast is right it looks like being really soft. "That will be more of an advantage to him than it was on Boxing Day because a lot of horses would have have been a bigger threat on good ground whereas on soft ground it will go against some of them so it's probably to his advantage.
