LIKE the Queen, racehorses have two birthdays. And 10 years to the day Kauto Star was born he can prove without doubt he is king of the Cheltenham hill.

Paul Nicholls’ star is bidding to become only the fifth horse to win the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup for a third time. And the 10-year-old had been described by his trainer as ‘lethal’ when he looks for a happy return to Prestbury Park on his birthday.

Kauto Star – who like all racehorses is also registered as being born on January 1 – is the best horse of his generation and is looking to cement further his status among the legends of National Hunt racing. Only Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate have landed jump racing’s blue riband event three times.

Kauto Star is already a record-breaker having become the first horse to regain the Gold Cup last year. He comes here having notched another milestone by equalling Desert Orchid’s record of winning the King George VI Chase, although uniquely Kauto Star claimed his quartet in successive seasons. That win was arguably the best of his 16 successes on British soil.

Amazingly, apart from two falls, he has not finished outside the first two in his 23 races since his move from France. And his trainer feels he is the perfect shape to land a third and career-defining Gold Cup.

Nicholls, whose Big Buck’s won a second successive Ladbrokes World Hurdle yesterday, said: “It is impossible to say he is better than ever as it was such a wonderful performance at Kempton. He worked with Master Minded last weekend and there are very few who can do what he did with a champion chaser. When he is fit he is lethal and there is nothing I can say to put anyone off him.”

Kauto Star looks like going off the odds-on favourite, but he will again be taking on his chief rival and stable-mate Denman. The score between the two 10-year-olds stands at 1-1 as Denman beat him in the Gold Cup in 2008 but the placings were reversed last year.

After a problematic campaign Denman’s display in finishing second 12 months ago showed his quality, while his second top-weight defying win in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November hinted at a return to top form. But under new partner Tony McCoy Denman crashed to the ground in the Aon Chase at Newbury – a race won by another stable-mate, Tricky Trickster, who will also line up today.

McCoy is again in the saddle. So the ingredients are there for the showdown. The two best horses and the two best jockeys of a generation in the Festival showpiece. And Nicholls, who also saddles last year’s fifth My Will, expects all his charges to go well.

The Ditcheat handler said: “Denman did a very good piece of work with Tricky Trickster at the weekend. The more you do and the more you drill him the better he gets.

“You have to remember that before he ran in the Aon he gave 22lb to What A Friend and he went on to win the Lexus.

“He did have a little setback, but he is over that and do not write him off.

“The danger with Denman is that you go off too quick on him and get to the bottom of him too soon.

“He loves a battle and if he had got into a scrap with Niche Market at Newbury he would have loved it.”

Meanwhile, Donald McCain landed his second winner of this year’s Festival and his fourth in all when Ballabriggs just held on to win the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup.

Under talented amateur Richard Harding, Ballabriggs managed to cling on from the fast-finishing Faasel by half a length to add to Peddlers Cross’ success for the Cheshire stable.

McCain, who also won the same race three years ago with Cloudy Lane, said: “He's a grand type of a horse, a really genuine horse and three and a quarter miles was always going to be stretching him a bit round here.

“Richard’s done the right thing, he had to kick on and try to win his race.

“He got his race won but then he was treading water for the last 100 yards and we got away with it.

“He hurt himself last year so we’ve been patient but he’s a joy to train. Mr (Trevor) Hemmings (owner) has been very patient and he’s a great supporter of ours. It’s magic, it’s been a fantastic week.”