Kauto Star may be nicely tucked up in his box enjoying retirement, but Paul Nicholls could still have an embarrassment of riches come Boxing Day at Kempton.

Hurricane Fly, the hot favourite and title-holder, heads 10 runners in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

Zarkandar further enhanced his Champion Hurdle prospects with an amazing victory in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

Ruby Walsh has come in for the plum ride on Zarkandar in Saturday’s Betfair Hurdle after a change to the Newbury card which allows the rider to defer a suspension that originally ruled him out of action this weekend.

COLM MURPHY would like to see plenty of rain to tempt him to run Voler La Vedette against Hurricane Fly in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Defending champion Hurricane Fly is among 27 horses entered for the StanJames.com Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 13.

SIZING Europe and Big Zeb will clash in the Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase on February 5.

TRAINER Colin Murphy has confirmed the Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown on February 5 as the next target for Big Zeb, who made it two wins from two runs this season in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown on Tuesday.

Tom George is eyeing up a tilt at the valuable Boylesports.com Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 28 for Olofi.

GREATWOOD Hurdle runner-up Olofi bids to go one place better in a competitive totescoop6 Levy Board Handicap Hurdle at Newbury today.

A SMALL but select field of five will go to post for the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Monday, with last season’s winner Binocular looking to repair his reputation.

Nicky Henderson believes he has Binocular in the best possible shape to retain his williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle title on St Stephen's Day.

Binocular will face a maximum of six rivals as he bids for a second successive victory in the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle on St Stephen's Day.

PAUL NOLAN expects the testing ground to suit Joncol in Sunday’s John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown.

NAVAN: 1.40 Dylan Ross; 2.50 Noble prince; 3.25 Bog Warrior

RIGHT now Tony McCoy will not talk to Racing UK. The boycott centres on comments made on the channel by Lydia Hislop and Steve Mellish.

Edward O’Grady’s Alaivan heads up 29 possibles for Friday’s JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Mille Chief has been ruled out of the JCB Triumph Hurdle having failed to show sufficient improvement from the setback which caused him to miss his intended outing at Kempton last Saturday.