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Great to see Kauto Star win his fourth Betfair Chase at Haydock today. He jumped really well and made Long Run look possibly moderate this afternoon in the jumping stakes.
I couldn’t believe Kauto Star was running so well. He looked positively rejuvenated. I was fully expecting him to run moderately, finish tailed off, fall or be pulled up. I was envisaging anguished cries of why hadn’t he been retired before he suffered the humiliation of being exposed as a has-been.
Not a bit of it. Kauto jumped with real vigour and Long Run, supposedly the wonder horse after his Kempton and Cheltenham successes over Kauto, was made to look positively inferior. Could be a different story at Kempton and Cheltenham next time, of course.
Well done to Paul Nicholls. Good to see Master Minded win at Ascot too. Channel 4’s coverage was very good, too. Underlines again the short-sightedness of the BBC in pulling the plug on this day’s racing.Amazing, the money means little, however seeing the horse, the reaction, the celebrations, makes me love National Hunt Racing even more. Whatever happens from here, he has had his day in the sun, and a terrific send off.
Not leaving the Sky+ for a while.
Kauto Star. Absurd price. Lay the favourite!
Money didn’t matter, seeing how much joy it gave everyone, I couldn’t stop smiling all afternoon, and still can’t.
One of the most enjoyable races I’ve watched for a long time! Clearly a horse loving his job and such a talent – jumped brilliantly all the way round.
I’m sticking my hand up to give him a nice home in retirement (although after today, that seems a bit further away
) to be my team chaser!I’ve just come back in from Haydock and I’m still in ecstasy.
I wanted to see him in the parade ring prior to the race and even with a circuit to go in the fixed hurdle race I had to pinch the last place against the barrier.
As impressive as the Pipe horse, Dynaste was save for the connections of the horse, his glorious homecoming was met with polite indifference at best. Everybody came to see Kauto’s last appearance in a parade ring and the crowd was at least 5 deep before he was even saddled. Very few people spoke and those who did chose to do so very quietly. The tension was extraordinarily intense. When Kauto finally did come out to parade, the warm applause he deservedly received already had the lass in tears.
I took my seat in the grandstands and after a circuit, I think everybody was pleased to see Kauto jumping with fluency but as Long Run began to hit a few towards the end of the back straight, the sense that Kauto could be seriously involved in the finished began to take hold. As he jumped four out, the calls of "Come on Kauto" began to rise. Jumping three out, the calls turned to shouts. After two out, the crowd was urging him on with gusto and as he cleared the last, it was pandemonium. The crowd was in rapture, the hands stung with applause and the throats growing rough. Fists punched the air and Racing Posts graced the sky.
As he crossed the line, Ruby slapped the hero and the strangers who surrounded me in the stands were my best friends in the world because we shared a moment few people will ever experience. For at that moment, Kauto Star belonged to each and every single person who was at the course.
The guy next to me backed Long Run and didn’t begrudge the victory one bit. I personally don’t gamble any more but I picked up my biggest ever prize as a punter when he won the Gold Cup in 2007. Even so, that moment just couldn’t compare to what happened today.
I am incredibly lucky to be able to say that I was there and I saw what I saw and this is something I will never take for granted.
Fantastic to see the ol’ boy win. BUT… when the euphoria dies down lets hope Nicholls and Smith are given the time to make hopefully the right decision for his future.
He must run again surely…but two more Grade 1’s at 11/ 12 y.o. is a phenominal ask!!!Fastest time in the Betfair Chase for years incidentally.
I’ve only really gotten into racing the last 3-4 years so I’ve not really felt an attachment to a particular horse before but……
Over the last few years I have had the chance to see Kauto in the flesh on 3 separate occasions; beaten a nose by Our Vic, falling in a Gold Cup and the King George last year.
I’m starting to think that maybe I am a curse on him, and maybe it would be better for him if I stayed away from Haydock later on today……..but I can’t.
The most important thing to me when watching the race tomorrow is that he (and the others) get round safely, and yes he may very well be too old to win another King George, or another Gold Cup, but it doesn’t stop me hoping and praying that there is just one more win in him……fingers crossed it’s tomorrow
Best day I’ll ever have on a racecourse…..
You couldn’t really tell from the coverage on tv but as soon as he passed the line literally hundreds upon hundreds of people sprinted to the paddock to cheer the Star home.fantastic to hear a first hand account. I just didn’t think it was possible if I’m honest – if I did, there’s no doubt I’d have made the effort to get up there. The gambling is very much secondary to me these days (not always the case, not by a long shot) so it seems a bit perverse in hindsight that I wasn’t prepared to make the expense to get to and from Haydock from Somerset to watch today’s race, a sum that I’d happily have gambled away several times over some years ago on various no-mark midweek sand races.
As has been alluded to previously on this thread, a huge amount of credit must go to Paul Nicholls and his team. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been calling for his retirement at various stages over the last few years (most obviously after P’town this year), more out of not wanting to see a great horse degrade himself than anything else. But as with Denman and, to a lesser extent, Masterminded the way he can bring these fantastic horses back from what most perceive to be a dead end is remarkable. I’ve been over to the Ditcheat yard several times over the years as it’s only 15 mins from me but it’s much harder to access these days for obvious reason I suppose. It’s terrific how accessible they make they superstars and it’s great for the sport. All that’s by the by really and again I’m rambling (kauto star wins against the odds + wine = me talking boll*cks) but this whole thing has cheered me up no end.
I don’t really think for a second he can or will win the KG and I’d rather tye bypassed it for one last GC stint personally. But the big man clearly knows best so I’ll trust his judgement. (quick word also for David Pipe, what a terrific job he’s doing with less of an armoury than the likes of Nicholls and Henderson. He’ll be top of the trainers table within the next 3 or 4 years, I’ve little doubt)
Where can I find a replay online? I was in the law school all day and so gutted I missed his finest hour. I have loved this horse since his Tinegle Creek days. He was the one that got me hooked on the game.
Kauto…legend
I <3 you!
So pleased you had the fairytale raceday Bachelors Hall [my fairytale day being when Chief Dan George won at Cheltenham!]. Today was one of those days when it was the first thing I thought of when I woke up. Racehorse trainers have to be far, far braver than lesser mortals such as myself, who just want horses to stand in paddocks all day getting fat! I wondered where Kauto’s tongue tie was when I saw him in the paddock afterwards, but, when I saw the replay, the travelling head lass [what a great job she does] took it off immediately after the race. Wasn’t the girl who led him up the one that usually leads up Denman? All credit to the staff. And I agree how good it is to see David Pipe doing so well. I know I’ve said this before, but he’s always the first to shake the hand of anyone who beats him, and I’ve never seen him without a smile on his face. All in all. a great day’s racing.
Where can I find a replay online? I was in the law school all day and so gutted I missed his finest hour. I have loved this horse since his Tinegle Creek days. He was the one that got me hooked on the game.
Kauto…legend
I <3 you!
Sporting Life site is the place for free replays…
My wife was on the computer as he passed the post and she heard me sniffing. She asked me incredulously "are you crying?!!!" – i was so choked I couldn’t even answer. Big fat tears rolling down my cheeks.
A wonderful, unforgettable day and a true legend of a racehorse.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
This what horse racing should be about, watching great horses, let them tell the story, not the odds and how much money someone won or lost.
Also, Paul Nicholls reaction today was special and I can only imagine what it was like at Haydock.
Lets hope the rest of the season is about the sport and not distractions from it.
Great to see that today, but wouldn’t be getting too carried away for the rest of the season. Kauto Star clearly had a huge fitness edge this afternoon and the fact that he was cherry ripe by mid November says a lot when you consider his previous campaigns.
The real players will be ready by Christmas (maybe).
My wife was on the computer as he passed the post and she heard me sniffing. She asked me incredulously "are you crying?!!!" – i was so choked I couldn’t even answer. Big fat tears rolling down my cheeks.
A wonderful, unforgettable day and a true legend of a racehorse.
Sporting theatre at its finest. Not ashamed to admit I was filling up.
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