GOLD CUP ARTICLE FROM BETDIRECT'S CHARLIE McCANN

The build up to next month's Cheltenham Gold Cup has revolved, almost exclusively, around one horse Paul Nicholls' brilliant Kauto Star. Well what camp are you in?

Camp A: He's the best horse in the race by a country mile and odds against looks generous given he is so far ahead of his rivals on the form book or

Camp B: He fell on his only previous start at Cheltenham, has made serious errors on his last two starts and has yet to prove he has the necessary stamina for the three and a quarter mile trip.

Long range weather forecasters suggest that the beginning of March will continue to see unsettled weather and there is always the possibility of connections switching to the Queen Mother Champion Chase if the race looks like being run in a bog, but there is only one Gold Cup and I would be amazed if Kauto Star did not take up the Gold Cup option. Paul Nicholls at a recent press day was quick too point out how the horse is, fundamentally, a good jumper of a fence prone only to a lack of concentration. His Haydock Park success in the Betfair Chase earlier in the campaign was as good a performance as I have ever witnessed from a Chaser, and his subsequent Grade 1 successes in the Tingle Creek and the King George marked him down as a Champion in waiting.

That said Chasing greats such as Pendil and Wayward Lad failed to land the Gold Cup and God alone knows how Desert Orchard landed the most prestigious prize in jump racing. Trainer Paul Nicholls insists that the fences at Cheltenham are not as fierce as they once were, and that may well be the case, but will he get away with a similar mistake to the ones that blighted his Kempton and Newbury (Aon Chase) successes if the petrol gauge is on its last bar?

Granted good ground the main rival to Kauto Star must be the Gold Cup winner of 2006 War Of Attrition. He gave the outside up to no one when landing the Blue Riband event last year and trainer Mouse Morris has taken a similar path to last year in that he will go the the Festival fresh, having not raced since being asked to handle desperate conditions at Leopardstown over Xmas. It didn't look a vintage Gold Cup last year, but as an eight-year-old he ought to be nearing his physical peak and his wonderful jumping will be a great asset .....granted good ground. He remains a 9/2 shot with BetDirect and is likely to go off 7/2 on good ground and 7/1 on soft ground. Any weather forecasters out there?

Exotic Dancer has been one of the stars of the season, having landed three competitive events, all at Cheltenham, so far this term. The only horses to have lowered the colours of Jonjo O'Neill's charge in five starts this season are the enigmatic Turpin Green in an unsatisfactory three-runner Carlisle event, and Kauto Star in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day. He will have to improve again to make the frame, but you get the impression his progression has surprised even Jonjo and Barry Simpson (owner Sir Robert Ogden's racing manager), but he will have to put up a career best to reach the three.

Whereas War Of Attrition requires good ground Robert Alner's The Listener needs soft or heavy ground to be seen at his best. A fluent winner from Beef Or Salmon in the Lexus Chase (War Of Attrition behind) over Xmas was followed by a 3/4l defeat at the hands of Beef Or Salmon in the Irish Hennessy when he looked all over the winner before being run out of it close home. At 10/1 with BetDirect at present he is likely to go off at single figures if there is soft in the going description come the day of the race, but he would be inconvenienced if the ground dried out appreciably.

State Of Play (11/1) is the other potential improver in the race, having not been seen on the track since landing the Hennessy at Newbury back in November. Much has been written about the well-being of the Evan Williams horses in recent weeks, but the Welsh handler is sure to have the horse at concert pitch for the race, if there is nothing ailing his string. It is only two starts ago that he was landing an Aintree handicap off 128, but he made the transition to leading handicapper effectively at the Berkshire track. Can he make the switch to Gold Cup winner as seamlessly?

The Gold Cup remains the most prestigious prize in jump racing (the Grand National remains the greatest race). At the beginning of this preview I asked if you were for or against the jolly old favourite Kauto Star. Have you decided yet? Only two and a bit weeks to go now.