Kauto Star leads all star cast at Cheltenham

The genteel Georgian town of Cheltenham will from Tuesday become the centre of the universe for jump racing enthusiasts as it plays host to the 2012 National Hunt Festival. Cheltenham is famed for its spa but over the next four days stout and champagne rather than water will be the liquids of choice as racegoers from Ireland and England descend on the Cotswolds for jump racing's top draw. The feast of racing begins with the opening day's Champion Hurdle and concludes on Friday with the compelling Gold Cup clash between Long Run and his nemesis this season Kauto Star - the latter's well-being permitting. The Gold Cup hero in 2007 and 2009 has made a remarkable recovery from a heavy fall when schooling last month and barring further mishap is set to line up for the big one. His trainer, Paul Nicholls, and owner Clive Smith are due to make a final decision on Monday. The chasing machine, who has earned almost £2.4 million ($3.76 mn) during his stellar career, has achieved such celebrity status even Queen Elizabeth II was inquiring after his health last week. The veteran, known as 'the extra-terrestrial' in his native France, also has his own Facebook page with over 10,000 followers. Kauto Star is just one of a strong team representing champion trainer Nicholls this week. On Tuesday he has Zarkander, third favourite in the Champion Hurdle behind Ireland's defending titleholder Hurricane Fly and former winner Binocular. Thursday sees Big Buck's try for a fourth consecutive World Hurdle The staying hurdle phenomenon - he's unbeaten over the smaller obstacles since 2008 - is many people's idea of the banker of the meeting. Then on Friday, all being well, comes the mouthwatering rematch between Long Run and Kauto Star. Long Run put the seven-year older Kauto Star firmly in his place last year but Kauto has returned this season with all guns blazing, blasting Long Run aside in both the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November and in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26. Successful in the blue riband in 2007 and 2009 Kauto Star is seeking not only to join a rare club of triple Gold Cup winners but also become the oldest winner of the race since What A Myth triumphed in the 1969 edition aged 12 like Nicholls' flagbearer. After watching the French bred work at Wincanton racecourse on Friday Nicholls said: "What I like is that he's in the sort of nick he was in before (his victories) in the King George and at Haydock. He looks fantastic, he's feeling great and he's full of enthusiasm, and that's what you want." Cheltenham has borne witness to some gripping moments of sporting drama over the years but if Kauto Star does run up the famous Cheltenham hill to claim victory it will be a story to surpass any that have gone before. Standing in his way though is the formidable presence of Long Run, who like last year is being ridden by leading amateur rider and owner's son Sam Waley-Cohen. The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old warmed up for his title defence with a confidence boosting win at Newbury last month, although his workmanlike defeat of stablemate Burton Port did not seduce everyone. But the man on board on Friday is a believer, Waley-Cohen telling The Telegraph last week: "I think there is more, and better, to come from Long Run. "To be mixing it with Kauto Star - I really hope he's over his fall and runs next Friday - already puts you on the doorstep of the greats. "The dream is not just to ride the winner of the Gold Cup but to ride a horse who made the Gold Cup his own race. "I honestly believe that like Kauto before him, Long Run could be a horse of a lifetime."