Paul Nicholls: Kauto will never be forgotten but the future is bright

Aaim To Prosper is an exciting recruit to Paul's yard

Paul Nicholls is overwhelmed by tributes to his two-time Gold Cup winner and delighted with the way a new generation performed at the weekend...

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contacted me and the yard after Kauto Star's retirement.

I always knew Kauto was a public horse. But, even so, the response to that decision really took me by surprise. He clearly meant a lot to thousands of people, and the media interest and reaction to the retirement was phenomenal.

He clearly is a horse never to be forgotten.

But you always have to look forward in this game, and last weekend showed that we have youngsters on the up.

Plans are fluid for my Charlie Hall winner Silviniaco Conti, but he is one of my Betfair Chase entries - along with Tidal Bay, Al Ferof and Cristal Bonus - and is obviously in the King George, too.

My Down Royal winner Kauto Stone goes straight for Kempton. We will keep him fresh and well for that.

And my other Down Royal winner Cristal Bonus may go back to Ireland for the John Durkan on December 9th.

Tidal Bay won well over hurdles at Wetherby and at the moment I am leaning towards the Hennessy for him, but we will see.

And I can reveal here now that Big Buck's has been given an entry in the Betfair Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle on Betfair Chase Day. It is a very valuable race, worth more than the Newbury race that is normally his reappearance, but money isn't everything and we will do what is best for the horse.

But, at this stage, Haydock is only a tentative entry for him, so don't get carried away yet.

Big Buck's may well have some competition from this yard this season, as Aaim To Prosper has joined us to go hurdling!

He became the first horse to complete back-to-back Cesarewitch wins last month and, at 112, must be one of the highest-rated Flat horses to have joined us from that sphere, maybe similar to Celestial Halo in ratings terms.

The owners have Sidney Melbourne and Shooters Wood with me, and have kindly sent me him. He clearly is an exciting hurdling prospect.