Alan Shearer has confirmed that Augusta Kate is heading for the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham next week.

The former England and Newcastle United striker is the co-owner of the Willie Mullins-trained Augusta Kate, with TV stars Ant and Dec, golfer Lee Westwood, golf agent Chubby Chandler and leading owner Graham Wylie.

She is is a leading contender for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next Friday, which Shearer has confirmed is their target where she will have a re-match with the highly fancied Death Duty.

Shearer told his Coral blog: “It looks like Augusta Kate is going to run in the Albert Bartlett. If she does, she will be coming up against Death Duty again.

“I am told it was the first time Death Duty had been challenged (at Naas). We obviously don’t know what the result would have been if she had stayed on her feet, but Ruby (Walsh) certainly felt she would have won the race.

“She is likely to be stepping up in trip next week, which Graham Wylie thinks will help her given her breeding profile.

“I would not profess to being an expert on horse racing so as an owner I leave everything to the trainer. They are the experts and the ones who see the horse every day of the week.

“I do get nervous before a race. First and foremost you want the horse and jockey to come back safely and secondly, as you tend to have a few friends involved, you don’t want it to let you down.

“I think one of the reasons so many footballers get involved in racing is that they have a lot of time on their hands. Training can be over by lunchtime and if you don’t have any kids to look after, you are scratching your head for something to do.

“I’ve never been big into gambling but I do like a flutter now and again.”