Racing: Snow more waiting as Kauto Star seeks high five

Paul Nicholls' legendary chaser is virtually unopposable as he strives to win the rearranged William Hill King George VI Chase for a fifth time.

No horse has ever achieved such a feat, but, then again, there have been few horses quite like Kauto Star - especially competing at Kempton.

Now an 11-year-old, the most popular jumper in training looked as good as ever on his comeback last month.

That came in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal, a race Nicholls has started him off in before.

Facing two classy and race-fit rivals in Sizing Europe and China Rock, the result could be called some way out.

On betting, Long Run is the biggest danger, but at this stage he is more hype than substance and third in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last time out does not inspire confidence for an assignment such as this. In truth, the rest are playing for place money, and it will be interesting to see if anything really tries to take on Kauto, or just run their race and be happy with second or third.

For those who do want one at a price, stablemate The Nightingale could represent a smart each-way wager.

The second-season chaser is admittedly inexperienced, but has hitherto shown great potential and will love the ground.

Nicholls' bullish home-work reports from earlier in the week add further credence to his portfolio. Starluck, meanwhile, can go one better than 12 months ago in the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle.

Not the stoutest of stayers, this is a big target for him and he could not have run much better in getting closest to the still-unbeaten Peddlers Cross in the rearranged Fighting Fifth at Newbury.

He had Binocular well beaten in third, just as he did in this race last year. And while Nicky Henderson's champion is entitled to improve, so is Starluck.