Long Run and Kauto both on course for Betfair Chase return | Thebigtip

Connections of both reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Long Run and dual former champion Kauto Star have confirmed that their respective horses are bang on track for their seasonal reappearances in the eagerly awaited Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock Park on November 19, writes Elliot Slater.

Long Run, generally a 4/5 favourite in the Betfair Chase 2011 betting, has been shaping up nicely ahead of his return to the fray having spent the summer out at grass at the home of his owner Robert Waley-Cohen. In recent week jumps guru Yogi Breisner has been putting the French bred six-year-old through his paces just to ensure that the chancy jumping habits he brought with him from France as a four-year-old (but which were ironed out to such tremendous effect last term), don't return and scupper his chance of success.

Despite his dominant market position last term's King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner will have to be at his best as Kauto Star, winner of the Haydock race on three occasions and in front when tumbling after the last in the 2008 renewal, is renowned as a horse who goes well fresh and has won at the first time of asking in Britain (excepting the 2008 faux pas) every season, including last year when proving too good for subsequent Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Sizing Europe in the JNwine.com Chase at Down Royal. Anyone placing horse race bets should remember this.

A brave third behind Long Run at Cheltenham last March, the feeling is that if there is one real chance that Kauto Star will beat Long Run this term it will be at Haydock where Nicky Henderson's star might be just short of peak fitness and where 'Kauto' goes particularly well when fresh. The former champion is generally on offer at 10/1 to win the top class race for the fourth time.