Kauto Star and stablemate Denman have enjoyed a similar rivalry in recent years, taking the last three renewals between them, with Smith’s record-breaker becoming the first to reclaim the race 12 months ago.

Paul Nicholls’ representative is the 4-6 favourite to join Best Mate, Arkle, Cottage Rake and Golden Miller with a third success.

Smith said: “I want the horse to win for himself as he is up there with the best of them.

“He is a great athlete and has qualities a lot of the others don’t have. He is just outstanding.”

When asked to compare Kauto Star to Arkle, the golfing magnate said: “He is close to him.

“He has qualities Arkle didn’t have – he has speed and has won over two miles - but it is difficult, like with great golfers, to compare one champion with another.”

The 10-year-old’s class and versatility is no better demonstrated by his wins over three and a quarter miles at Cheltenham and twice over the minimum trip in the Tingle Creek Chase.

Kauto Star will be making his fifth appearance under Ruby Walsh at the Cheltenham Festival and heads into the race in what would appear the form of his life after his breathtaking third win in the King George VI Chase.

“He is a well as ever, in good form and sparkling on the gallops,” reported Smith.

“Paul could not be more pleased with him.

“Ruby has worked Kauto out and that has been worth two or three lengths improvement. Ruby has him sorted out in every way.

“If Kauto gets over the first couple of fences and gets into a rhythm and strides away then I will be very happy as he always looks very impressive.

“I would never say that I don’t worry as anything can happen but I do have a lot of confidence in him.

“I might appear relaxed but I have found that it is after the race I realise how uptight, thrilled and excited that I was.”

This year’s Gold Cup was billed as a showdown decider between Kauto Star and Denman, with the score standing at one apiece.

The race was, however, robbed of a heavyweight build-up when Denman unseated Tony McCoy at Newbury last month – a performance which has seen many write him off.

But Smith is not joining the doubters, and continued: “Denman’s mishap at Newbury is in the past and Paul will have him spot-on on the day.

“Tony McCoy suits him and they will be serious opposition. Tony will have worked out how to ride him and he will be right on the day.”

Winner of the race in 2007 and 2009, Kauto had his crown stolen in brutal fashion by Denman two years ago.

His stablemate inflicted a bruising front-running beating on the field that day, with Kauto Star admirably sticking to his task to finish a seven-length second.

“The year he was beaten you have to question as Neptune Collonges finished so close to him,” reflected Smith.

“You would normally expect Kauto to beat him by 10 or 12 lengths but he only beat him by a short head, so you would have to think that Kauto wasn’t up to his very best.

“He had that injury after Ascot and perhaps that had some effect.

“But even if he wasn’t up to his very best, Denman was outstanding that day.”

Kauto went odds-on after Denman’s Newbury disappointment, and Smith has yet to invest heavily in the horse known as ’The Extraterrestrial’ in his native France.

He added: “Any owner worth their salt would back their own horse. I thought 7-4 last year was a fantastic price but at odds-on this year I think it looks tough.

“I have dribbled a bit of money onto him over the months but if I am going to back him this year I will do it on the day.”