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Saturday D-day for Kauto Star's Gold Cup bid

Kauto Star raised the roof when winning the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day © PA Photos

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Paul Nicholls has admitted Kauto Star will have to come through another schooling session if he is to take his place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The 12-year-old's participation in the feature event on the National Hunt calendar has been plunged into doubt on account of a fall suffered in schooling seven days ago.

Kauto Star, a two-time winner of the race, has not missed any major work but is still stiff and sore and undergoing intense physiotherapy.

He will continue to canter away over the course of the next week and Nicholls remains hopeful his charge will make the race, which takes place in a fortnight, but first Kauto Star much shake off his troubles and prove the fall has not left a mark by coming through a schooling session.

"It is the first time he has ever fallen in schooling at home," Nicholls told Sky Sports News. "He got up straight away and walked back, he worked sound on Saturday and we thought he would be alright.

"The big day will be next Saturday when he does his final bit of strong work. He has to thrill Clifford [Baker, work rider].

"He has got to have a school. He will definitely have another school, it's his normal procedure ahead of a race.

"He's been sound ever since the fall and has cantered every day. He is having physio and we are hopeful we will get him there, but there is a chance we won't.

"He is just a little stiff, it's like anyone that when you get a bit older and take a knock it takes a bit to get over. If we trotted him out today you would not know there was anything wrong with him.

"It is getting better each day, we have a fortnight and he has to be at his best to run in the race."

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