Kauto goes straight for King George

Trainer Paul Nicholls has withdrawn Kauto Star from the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

The trainer revealed the news in his blog on Betfair saying "I have just put the phone down to Clive (Smith, owner) and we have taken the decision not to run Kauto Star in the Hennessy."

We have decided that the horse has two priorities this season, the King George and the Gold Cup, and we weren't going to jeopardise those by going to Newbury.

So we will leave the Hennessy for this year. But, all being well, we will perhaps target the race first time up next season.

Make no mistake, he was a likely runner at one stage.

Having always loved the race, Clive was very keen, and I wouldn't have stood in his way. The race and course would have suited him, and it would obviously have been one of the all-time great handicap performances had he gone to Newbury, and won.

And we have always been adventurous with this horse, as we showed when winning the Tingle Creek in between his 2006 Betfair Chase and King George victories. And he isn't getting any younger at 10.

But two factors have mitigated against us running him.

Firstly, Kauto Star came back from Down Royal a little bit quiet, as you would expect after the travelling and a hard race, and you need to be at the top of your game to win a Hennessy. Especially when running off a mark of 190.

Secondly, while he is fine and could have run in the race, you have to look at what running at Newbury could have done to the rest of his season.

One of his two main targets this season is the King George, and he would be the first horse to win the race five times if successful on Boxing Day.

And there was clearly a big danger of leaving the King George behind had he gone to Newbury.

And I suppose, in the back of our minds, there may have been a third reason, too. The unavailability of Ruby.

So Kauto goes straight to Kempton, and Denman will go to Newbury seeking to make history of his own in trying to become the only horse to win the race three times, with Mandarin and Arkle the other two-time winners.

In fact, Denman will be one of five I run in the race. He will be joined by Neptune Collonges, Taranis, The Tother One and Niche Market.

Denman, Big Buck's, Neptune Collonges and Taranis all had a racecourse gallop this morning - and all went well."