PNicholls

Cheltenham was obviously a trying week, but the last few days have put racing into perspective. You may have wondered why you haven't read any updates from me since Friday, or seen me quoted anywhere in the press; well, the reason is that my youngest daughter, one-year-old Zara, has been very ill. She was taken into hospital on Saturday morning, and was released home later that evening. But on Sunday morning we had to get the ambulance out again, as she took a turn for the worse, and it was touch-and-go for a while. We were worried, I can tell you. Thankfully, she seems a bit better today but she will be in hospital for a while yet, and I have been to and from Yeovil hospital these past few days. We don't know exactly what the problem is with Zara, but it seems that she has picked...

[u]13:30, JCB Triumph Hurdle[/u] [i]Dodging Bullets[/i] Showed smart form on the Flat in Ireland (beating Hisaabaat on his final start at Sligo of a mark of 89) and delighted me when second to Grumeti at Kempton on his hurdling debut last month. The winner probably won with a fair bit in hand and was giving us 7lb, but I was more than happy with that introductory run. He will be a lot sharper for it. I was originally going to keep him back for Aintree but he has really pleased me at home since so we take our chance here. My juveniles tend to come on a good deal for their first run and I hope that is the case again here, as he will need to improve a fair deal to be winning this. But he is a horse I rate, and his slick jumping will stand him in good stead. Has done plenty of schooling ...

Clive and I have given Kauto Star the green light for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after a very good schooling session on the grass this morning. Ruby came over to school him and Kauto was awesome, just as I'd thought he would be. He jumped six fences - the plain fence and the open ditch three times each - and he was foot perfect and looked magnificent. I have just put the phone down to Clive and, barring any mishaps in the next few days, Kauto lines up for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Friday. We are looking forward to it. [b]For more exclusive Paul Nicholls content, go to http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/paul-nicholls/[/b]

Very little to report on the Kauto front today, but I said I would give a daily update, so here goes. Kauto Star enjoyed his usual morning preparation yesterday before having two canters up the hill with Big Buck's and he continues to please us and head in the right direction. So we look forward to his racecourse gallop at Wincanton today. I will give you an update in my column immediately after the work. We have had a very busy morning here yesterday, schooling on the grass. Zarkandar went with Pearl Swan, and both looked particularly sharp. Brampour schooled with Prospect Wells, and Ulck Du Lin worked with Sonofvic. [b]For more exclusive Paul Nicholls content, go to http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/paul-nicholls/[/b]

Nothing major to report today but we are, thankfully, still heading in the right direction. Kauto once again had his physio and his hour on the walker. And then he had a half-speed 10f canter with Big Buck's and then a canter up the hill with him, too. In fact, all my Cheltenham horses did the same routine - so Kauto did everything the other Festival horses did today. Clifford is still smiling and at one point I thought he was going to do Kauto's box roll for him! [b]For more exclusive Paul Nicholls content, go to http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/paul-nicholls/[/b]

We upped Kauto Star's work again today. He had his now regular morning physio and an hour on the walker - we should bring out an exercise video, as that routine is getting so much publicity - and then we gave him his most testing workout since his schooling fall. We gave him two strong canters up the hill alongside my Fred Winter hopeful Ulck Du Lin. And again I have to report that he came through it fine and I'm happy with him at the moment. What particularly pleased me that, aside from looking great, he came back from the work and had a good roll in his box, always a good sign with him. He looks happy in himself and Clifford is smiling. But we have had a change of plan over the so-called 'D Day' home gallop on Saturday. He will now gallop after racing at Wincanton on...

t would be fair to say that Saturday wasn't a great day at the office for me. Plenty of our horses didn't show their true form and even Dan mentioned to me on the drive home that, as far as he could remember, this was the first Saturday we didn't have a winner since he has been working with me. In fact we have only had one winner in our last 31 runners; not a particularly good stat to read. I don't like giving excuses but I do want to keep punters informed and, as our weekends runners came back from the track, a good few of them had dirty noses and were coughing. Nothing serious but it's got to be monitored and gives us some clues as to why a few of the team didn't run to their true form, which was plain to see. Coughs come and go at yards and there is always the odd horse with one but,...

You would have thought after 30 races and 19 victories for us - among them five King Georges, four Betfair Chases and two Gold Cups - that I would have seen it all with Kauto Star. But the horse continues to astound me. He came out of his box this morning, even with the temperature at -1, with a real spring in his step and I can tell you now that I have never seen the horse look better. Never. He looked superb in his coat and if you thought he looked in great condition in the paddock at Kempton on Boxing Day, then you really should have been here this morning. He looked magnificent. He has come out of the race unbelievably well, has put on weight after Kempton, and Clifford can't believe how fresh he is. In truth, we would have liked to have done a little less with him, but he ...

I was more confident of [b]Kauto Star[/b] beating Long Run in the Betfair Chase, than I am of my horse confirming the Haydock form in the King George today. There, I have said it. For punters out there, that may seem a very strange thing to say given that Kauto Star was twice the price at Haydock than he is likely to go off at Kempton today, and that he beat [b]Long Run[/b] so convincingly there. But going to Haydock, I was really bullish in my own mind that Kauto was as fit and well as I could possibly have had him. But, for obvious reasons, I had to rein back my true enthusiasm and confidence going into the race; a race, lest we forget, that many were saying that he shouldn't even be running in. Hand on heart, I cannot say the same today. I'm confident, but not that confident. Don't...