Star takes the Game option

Kauto Star will have just one more outing before his crack at the Queen Mother Champion Chase when he contests the totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury in February.

Nicholls had been debating whether to send last weekend’s William Hill – Tingle Creek Trophy Chase winner for another race in the meantime.

But he told Teletext: “He has been in great form, but I am not going to run him again before Newbury, he will go straight there.

“We were toying with the Castleford Chase (at Wetherby on December 27) but I have decided he won’t run at Christmas.

“The Victor Chandler is normally at the beginning of January but with Ascot being closed that is now at the end of the month at Cheltenham, so we have decided to go for the Game Spirit.

“He had two targets this season. One was to win the Tingle Creek and the other was to try and win the Champion Chase – so we will now gave him a short break and get him ready for the Game Spirit, which will be his prep for the Champion Chase.”

Azertyuiop has taken the last two renewals of the Grade Two Newbury race for Nicholls, who also saddled Kadarann to success in 2003.

Kauto Star is now the general 5-2 favourite alongside current champion Moscow Flyer for the Queen Mother at the Cheltenham Festival next March.