Trainer Paul Nicholls insists Kauto Star still has “a great chance” of running in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 16.
The legendary 12-year-old gelding, twice a winner of the Gold Cup, was on Thursday reported as 50-50 for the highlight of the Cheltenham Festival after suffering a bad fall when schooling under Ruby Walsh last Friday.
Although his participation remains in the balance, Nicholls remains hopeful the Clive Smith-owned chaser can confirm his well-being within the next fortnight.
“This morning he’s having physio,” Nicholls told Sky Sports News on Friday morning.
“He’s going to canter as normal today and we’re hoping we can get him there, but there’s just a chance we might not.
“He’s just a little stiff. You get a little older and take a little knock and it just takes a little bit to get over it.
“If you trotted him out today and paraded him you’d not think there was anything wrong.
“But the the situation with him is that he needs to be at his very best to run.
“It’s getting better each day so we’re still hopeful – we’ve still got a fortnight.
“The big day will be a week Saturday when he does his last strong piece of work before the Gold Cup. He needs to thrill Clifford (Baker, Nicholls’ head lad)
“We’ve still got a great chance.”
Ladbrokes cut Long Run into even money for his Gold Cup defence, with Kauto Star out to 4-1.
“The possible defection of Kauto Star will puncture the Gold Cup market,” a spokesman said.
“He may have cost us a fortune down the years but we’d love to see him turn up later this month one more time.”
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