Kauto Star out of Chandler
The six-year-old, current favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, would have had to carry top weight of 11st 10lb after notching an impressive win in the William Hill - Tingle Creek Trophy last month.
However, Nicholls has decided to bypass the January 28 event in favour of waiting for the totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury the following month.
The Ditcheat handler said: “Kauto Star had a little holiday after Sandown and has only just started working again.
“He definitely won’t run in the Victor Chandler and the plan is for him to go straight for the Game Spirit ahead of the Festival.”
Nicholls is still set to be well represented in the extended two-mile feature though with Armaturk, Albuhera and Cerium among his five entries.
“I was very pleased with the way Armaturk won at Lingfield on Saturday, while both Albuhera and Cerium are also on course,” he added.
“Le Volfoni would come into the reckoning if the ground came up heavy.”
Kauto Star’s absence will result in a 7lb rise in the weights, which would see Mister McGoldrick shoulder top weight.
A total of 30 horses are in the race and Paul Nolan’s Irish raider Cloone River, allotted 9st 11lb in the initial handicap, is sure to be well fancied in Kauto Star’s absence.
Other notable possibles for the Grade Two event include the Nicky Henderson-trained Tysou, former Cheltenham Festival winner Fundamentalist and Mark Rimell’s stable star Oneway.
Meanwhile, Paul Nicholls has made a surprise entry for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup with useful hurdler Neptune Collonges.
The five-year-old was last seen when finishing second to My Way De Solzen in the Long Walk Hurdle at Chepstow and although he has yet to run over fences in Britain, he was a five-time winner over the bigger obstacles in France.
Nicholls, who also has Cornish Rebel, Royal Auclair and Silver Birch engaged, has decided to give the Dom Alco gelding a blue riband entry after some high-profile injuries to leading Cheltenham contenders in recent days.
He explained: “Neptune Collonges gets a handy allowance and won five out of six over fences in France.
“It’s just an option as he has two Festival entries over hurdles but it’s a funny year and anything could happen if the ground came up testing.”
Meanwhile, Nicky Richards believes Faasel could be a “real contender” for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle next season.
The Greystoke trainer admits life is tough at the moment for the five-year-old but that time is on his side.
“He is coming along grand and hopefully he will run at Haydock in the Champion Hurdle Trial (January 21) and we will take it from there,” he said.
In yesterday’s action, Lucy Bridges came back to a rapturous reception after Nero West gave her a first success as a trainer and seventh as a rider in the second division of the Morris Furniture Group Maiden Hurdle at Wincanton.
There could have been no more fitting or poignant victory for the 26-year-old who took over the permit at her Shaftesbury yard following the tragic death of her mother, Helen, in a riding accident last April.
Bridges was as surprised as the bookmakers who sent off Nero West an unconsidered 33-1 chance as she guided the gelding to a 10-length triumph over odds-on favourite Just For Men.
Paul Nicholls, who had earlier scored with Geeveem in the first division, completed a 29-1 double with 3-1 shot Kicks For Free in the Bruton Bumper.
The five-year-old make short work of some well-regarded rivals, scoring by 10 lengths from Wyldello.
