Friday 20 September 2013 17:25, UK
Paul Nicholls is hoping to have Big Buck's ready for action at the end of January.
Nicholls could also have a second-string waiting in the wings for the stayers' division as Zarkandar was an impressive winner of the Aintree Hurdle in April. He said: "I've got to talk to the owners but I suspect we will start him at two and a half, he was very good at Aintree over that trip, but we would dearly love to try him at three miles at some stage." Nicholls has another star performer to prepare for a comeback in Al Ferof, who also suffered a leg injury in December. The eight-year-old won the Paddy Power Gold Cup last term and Nicholls is considering a crack at the King George at Kempton. He said: "Al Ferof is back working now. He may have a prep race for the King George in November at Ascot, nothing's set in stone but we're very pleased with him at the moment. I think he will stay and three miles will suit him well. "Whether this year he's got enough stamina to get the Gold Cup trip is a different story but he's progressive and stayed very well when he won the Paddy Power. He's won a point-to-point and I'm sure he will stay but quite how far, whether he's an out-and-out stayer, we'll see but he wouldn't want to be going back to two miles, that's for sure."
