Nicholls trains Gold Cup favourites Kauto Star and Denman

Kauto Star is developing into a steeplechasing legend and is hot favourite to retain his crown on 14 March.

But many believe the impressive Denman, a winner of 12 of his 13 starts, has the class to challenge his next door neighbour at Nicholls's Somerset yard.

Nicholls, who has plenty of other horses heading for the Cheltenham Festival, took time out from his preparations to answer your questions.

Q. How do you pronounce Kauto Star?
Aredeegee

A. He started off being "Cato" and most of the yard call him that but Clive [owner Clive Smith] likes him being called "Korto" so I'm trying to train myself to say Korto.

Q. How do you balance satisfying the needs of the owners of Denman and Kauto Star and the lure of a big-money �1m bonus if Kauto Star wins?
Aredeegee

A. On the Saturday night when Kauto Star got back [with an injury from Ascot] Paul Barber [Denman's co-owner] was the second person into the box, and he said, 'you've got to make him run in the Gold Cup'.

That just sums up the rivalry.

They all want to win, and from time to time people get disappointed, but we're friends, we're all straight down the line and there is lots of friendly banter. They shake each others hands and enjoy it. They're all part of the team. There's no bad feeling at all. Everybody gets treated same. It wouldn't work if it was any different.

Team Nicholls are best of friends ahead of the Gold Cup

Both jockeys will be given orders to win the race. Recently I've said to Ruby Walsh to ride Kauto Star more positively, while Sam Thomas knows Denman needs a nice gallop. If someone is going a nice gallop, he can use that as a lead and if not he can bowl along.

Ruby will ride the race from behind so there's no way they can cut each other's throats.

If they do turn around that last bend together there will be some sort of roar I can tell you...with Neptune Collonges five lengths in front. [laughs]

I still think Kauto Star will be hard to beat. Whatever beats him will have to be exceptional.

But no-one knows who is going to win. As for the bonus, that's not what Clive is doing it for. The bonus is there but he's doing it to win the Gold Cup.

The rivalry is good for racing and good for everybody.

Q. Paul, I know you are carrying a few pounds overweight but if you were a jockey, which one would you ride at Cheltenham?
Nick (Hull)

A. Put it this way, if I was in Ruby Walsh's shoes, I wouldn't get off Kauto Star. There's no way he could get off him.

Q. I have been backing Twist Magic all year - who is most likely to land the Queen Mother and should I be worried if Ruby chooses to ride Master Minded?
Racingboff

A. Not at all. Sam Thomas won the Tingle Creek on Twist Magic and I think Sam suits the horse. Who's going to win, I don't know. We've just been really thrilled with Master Minded, but if the ground is good that will really suit Twist Magic.

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on Paul Nicholls's answers in his Q&A

With Master Minded, I could see he had huge potential but I didn't think he'd be where he is now. His improvement has been phenomenal and he's bloomed since he's been here. He did a brilliant bit of work with Kauto Star recently.

He is only five years old and relatively inexperienced but he jumped great at Newbury and didn't look at all inexperienced. We've schooled him now and he looks a different horse.

Q. The Supreme Novices seems wide open this year. Rippling Ring is prominent in ante-post betting lists - what are your thoughts on his chances?
Markthetoffee

A. He has a good chance. He won his only start over hurdles and he's a beautiful horse. He's very much a horse for the future.

Q. What is your Festival banker from any yard?
Garydoescheltenham

A. I thought I had one in Thistandtother before he got beat at Fakenham. Instead, I'll take Howard Johnson's Inglis Drever in the World Hurdle.

Q. If you could cherry-pick one horse from any other National Hunt yard, which would it be and why?
brizboy

A. Inglis Drever because I haven't got one in the stayers' hurdle.

Denman (left) and Kauto Star are neighbours at Nicholls's yard

Q. Describe a typical work session.
BBC Sport's Rob Hodgetts

A. It's all interval training here. They canter every day but a "work" day - twice a week - is when they do fast work. They canter down to the end of the gallops, pair up with whoever I've chosen, and sprint back for five furlongs. Then they canter up Ditcheat Hill - also about five furlongs. They might do one, two or three times up the hill. They're out every day, always for an hour and 10 minutes, whatever happens.

Q. Do Denman and Kauto Star train upsides each other?
Rohansrider

A. They quite often canter up the hill together but when they're doing fast work Denman works on his own because of the way he is. Kauto Star often works with Mr Pointment or Master Minded.

Q. Why do you keep running horses in Hunter Chases, is this not to the detriment of the point-to-point scene?
Nassau_Board

A. To be fair, both Thisthatandtother and Armaturk got beaten by hunter chasers, which summed it up. They're both shadows of their former selves, despite having high ratings, so why shouldn't those horses who have put so much into racing in the past have a little bit back?

If I thought either were good enough to win other races they would certainly be running other races. But the handicap system in this country doesn't help much because they never drop them.

They're not what they were, they're old horses with problems and probably won't last anyway. It doesn't render them uncompetitive, more people want to get out and take them on instead of sitting back and whingeing.

Q. Away from the big guns in your stable, which of the lower profile horses are you expecting decent showings from at the Festival?
Hameau02

A. Some of novice hurdlers will go well - Breedsbreeze, The Tother One, Celestial Halo. They're all in good form and in the right races, and we're very hopeful they'll go close.

Q. Is it true that when Ditcheat closes for the evening, the yard lights are dimmed and all the staff have gone home, you take a walk out to the stables in your slippers and Kauto Star actually speaks to you?
Jonnyboy151

A. No, that's not true because I live about a mile away. It's probably Dan Skelton [assistant trainer] in his dressing gown. Either him or Paul Barber [Denman's co-owner].

Q. It has been brilliant keeping Kauto Star and Denman apart this season, building up to a fantastic finale in the Gold Cup. Will this be the policy next season or can we look forward to a season-long battle?
Gamer_TT

A. It worked quite well this year so there's not really much need to change it. I'd love to go back to the Hennessy with Denman. He can win off top weight and he loves Newbury. It would be the ideal race for him. Kauto Star's races are nearly mapped out already. He'll probably follow the same route - King George, Ascot. God willing they'll both be sound.

Q. If you were to suggest a pivotal moment in your training career which would it be?
Dec-burk

A. I started off here with eight horses and �10,000 that I made as a jockey. See More Indians was our first real success but it was the 1999 Cheltenham Festival when we suddenly had Flagship Uberalles win, See More Business win the Gold Cup and Call Equiname win Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Mick Fitzgerald and See More Business won the Gold Cup in 1999

We were progressing, but that just put us right into it. Then all of a sudden the better owners want to be part of the team and send you horses.

But it's not just being a good trainer, you've got to be able to manage the owners as well. We've had a few blips along the way, as we all do, but everyone knows we put 100% into it. It's not easy and takes an awful lot of time and effort but I absolutely love it and couldn't do anything else.

It's as hard being at the top as it is getting up there.

Q. What other trainers did you look up to when you started out and who do you still admire for their horsemanship and ability to get horses spot-on for certain races?
SuperReds07

A. Martin Pipe played a big influence because when I was riding I worked out that he was winning everything because his horses were fitter than anyone else's. He put a whole new dimension on how to train horses. It was a bit frustrating always getting beaten by him, but it occurred to me that that was what we were going to have to work on - fitness and getting horses who can run season after season.

Nicky Henderson is a very good trainer and a good up-and-coming trainer is a pal of mine Alan King.

Q. Has Tony McCoy ever asked you for a job?
UnitedRedMacca

A. No. I wouldn't be able to afford him.

Q. Do you have any high hopes for the Grand National?
Woodmi1

A. Mr Pointment is one of the favourites and we had a good chance until the handicapper tried to put the kybosh on him. But I'm looking forward to seeing him run.

Q. There is obviously nothing like the buzz of the Cheltenham Festival for fans, but how about trainers? Do you find yourself riddled with nerves before the tapes go up? And further to this, which is your favourite course as a trainer?
Greenawayr03

A. Well, can you imagine how I'll be feeling that week? There's going to be a lot of pressure obviously, but we've got to continue doing our job right. It's a big, big occasion and if you go a few days without a winner there's a lot of pressure. It's a mixture of nerves and excitement.

Favourite course - Wincanton, because it's only 10 minutes away.

Denman (left), Paul Nicholls, Kauto Star

Q. Denman looks a real Grand National type. Would you ever risk such a talent, especially considering the weight he'd have to carry?
The_Mighty_Otter

A. Two-and-a-half miles is too sharp for him around there. Harry [Findlay] has been talking about it. He's the sort of horse who could carry top weight and jump well in the National but I haven't really thought about it. It hasn't really been discussed.

Q. Do you think Kauto Star and Denman are as good as See More Business, and how is he?
Marazion

A. See More Business is fine. He's living out in the field at Paul Barber's daughter-in-law's place. He won two King Georges, a Gold Cup and loads of other races and was the best around in his time but these two are probably marginally better than he was. There's a lot of expectation over Kauto Star but there are a lot of similarities between See More and Denman.

Q. What gives you the biggest buzz when you get up early in the morning and what gives you the biggest lows?
Sidslot

A. Knowing you've got such nice horses to go and watch work, especially on a schooling day. I really enjoy that. The worse part is any time they get injured.

Q. Having so many horses with so many powerful owners, who makes the final decision as to where and when they run?
Craftyreynard

A. I do most of the time but it's a joint decision. There's no point running horses where the owner doesn't want to.