The two horses will go head-to-head in the Gold Cup on Friday, 14 March.

Smith told BBC Somerset: "It will be his [Kauto Star's] biggest test, but then I think he's better than ever.

"He's come on since last season. He's stronger and I think he's good enough to win. He's probably not really been stretched yet - he will be this time."

Smith added: "I think he can come up to the test and do his stuff."

Denman's co-owner Paul Barber believes Cheltenham could prove a watershed meeting for his horse.

He will, I suspect, leave no stone unturned in his ability to try and win Denman co-owner Paul Barber

"I think he's been a decent horse ever since we bought him," said Barber.

"He's run 14 races in his life and he's won 13 of them. How good he is we're going to find out, I suspect in the Gold Cup.

"You're going to need to be a very, very good horse to beat Kauto Star and I just hope and think he is.

"He is a horse that does love racing, does enjoy it and he will, I suspect, leave no stone unturned in his ability to try and win.

"His overall capacity to put in exuberant leaps, to see off other horses, is something I've never seen before in a horse in many, many years. Since Desert Orchid I suspect."