The Aga Khan bred Kadarann is now a leading fancy for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, after winning the Grade II Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday. The six year old gelding’s victory prompted the following praise from this training Paul Nicholls: “He’s got loads of talent, the track suits him, and he was 110 per cent. He’s only six and could well be improving.”

Kadarann was bought out of Alain de Royer Dupré yard in June 2000, and has since won nine races over both hurdles and fences. His four year old half sister Kadara, sold at the Goffs France Arc sale last October, was an impressive winner at Kempton on her hurdling debut.

Behrajan is another Aga Khan bred horse much in the limelight in the run up to the Cheltenham festival. This recent winner of the Grade II Pillar Property Chase will now be aimed for a second tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.