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<br>Jilly,
As you know, Best Mate was a big favourite of mine but on what basis do you think that KS can’t win multiple Gold Cup’s as well?
Obviously it will take a mighty effort but he’s only 7 and Friday’s victory was very reminiscent of Best Mate’s first win I thought. I think we can safely say that Exotic Dancer is a better horse than Commanche Court as well.
With the types of injuries that they’ve had, I can’t see any of WoA, Kicking King & Trabolgan coming back to their best (and that’s if they come back at all) so for me the only danger to KS is KS himself.
As for AP, it wasn’t his greatest ride but he’s made that horse this season as it were he who thought of the exaggerated waiting tactics before the Paddy Power. The best horse won on the day but things may have been closer if ED had of been upsides at the last when Kauto made his mistake…..
The biggest difficulty for KS now is that the up and coming chasers look a bit stronger than in recent years. I think MWDS could be exceptional and with Denman and Exotic Dancer too, this really could be an exciting period
But hes just 7 and in the best possible hands. See no reasons at all why he cant win another GC or three
Reet… there are various reasons why not many GC winners defended their crowns, no least of which is sheer bad luck. An unusual number of top winners suffered subsequent (unrelated) injuries and also there was a spell of pretty crap winners who didnt have an earthly of following up
Staying chases can be won time and again. The King george has if anything, specialised in repeat winners over the years
Disappointed, but not totally surprised, that there are <br>still knockers and doubters on here and elsewhere. Whatever the achievements of this horse, it would seem that some people will never be satisfied.
For me, as someone who has been following NH racing for longer than I care to admit, KS is one of the best that I’ve ever seen and certainly the most exciting chaser since Desert Orchid. I believe he is entitled to that plaudit already and doesn’t need to win multiple Gold Cups to prove it. The sport of NH racing has received a huge boost from Kauto Star — we have a new superstar, let’s enjoy him while he’s here.
Quote: from PAULCS on 11:08 am on Mar. 19, 2007[br]<br>As for AP, it wasn’t his greatest ride but he’s made that horse this season as it were he who thought of the exaggerated waiting tactics before the Paddy Power. The best horse won on the day but things may have been closer if ED had of been upsides at the last when Kauto made his mistake…..<br>
Yeah, he gave the horse a bad ride that day too. Fortuantely as he had nearly 2 stone in hand that day the horse was able to get him out of it.
You cant knock Kauto Star. Every obstacle put in front of him he’s overcome he is easily the best steeplechaser since Desert Orchid the likes of Best Mate and War Of Attirition are no where near the horse Kauto is.
He isn’t unbeatable no horse is but at his very best at level weights, in favourable conditions and with a clear round of jumping he’s as near to it as you’re going to get.
It was the best Gold Cup since Matey’s third and last IMO. <br>Finally, we had a true champion with some sort of competition. It helped that no one really knew just how good Exotic Dancer was, considering he was 16/1 when he carried 11-2 in the Paddy power less than 6 months ago. <br>The fact that Kauto also has this yearning to hit the deck at the last every time added to the tension, and to give him his due, he didn’t disappoint! (Although I missed his stumble, I had to make sure Dancer got 2nd for my forecast.)
My main regret was the absence of Kicking King. He is another class act of the order of Kauto Star, and I would always have backed him against the new champ. Unfortunately, I doubt he will ever be the same again after such a long-term injury, although Blue Square’s 33’s for next year’s renewal is still tempting!
But well done Kauto; as much as I have never been his #1 fan, it would have been a travesty had he not won after the season he’s had.
They were close up because the race only developed relatively late on. KS was never ridden to beat Monkerhostin (whos a very nice horse i think) by more than 10 lenghts. Nor did he have to be
and KS beat L’ami by slightly more than WOA did last year
last years GC was run at a decent clip too and frankly the close presence of Hedgehunter at the end doesnt get me excited about the form.
WOA had done sod all (excuses or not) this season too
Sorry Trackside! dont agree
Gold Cup form is pretty tough to judge year on year, unless the best contenders are up against each other. For example, you have to work just to get me to acknowledge WOA as a GC winner. He won a race called ‘The Cheltenham Gold Cup’, but in all seriousness, it was a very weak race, and I’d expect a stronger field in the Pillar most years!
I just want to see the day that the big guns all take each other on over 3m2 at Cheltenham. In recent years, KK never got to take on Matey; WOA never got to go against either, and KS didn’t get a go at any of them, although Exotic Dancer is the best challenger any of the three faced.
Kauto star is the best horse in training this year and he did beat VPU in the tingle creek but im not so sure he would beat well chief over 2miles he is the last of the big 3 left!!!!!!! as for being in the right place he has to stay injury free after all he has injured azertyuiop noland star de mohasion ladalko and those are the only ones we are told about and probably at least 3 of those would have been capable of winning at cheltenham this year………..
171 for Turpin Green….I just cannot have that…we all know Kauto Star is a 180 horse…but simply because he ran and won the Gold Cup does not mean he has to be rated so highly for that effort. They did something similar with Kicking King when he won his Gold Cup, gave him an inflated rating just because it was the Gold Cup when in truth his King George and John Durkan performances were in a different league to his Cheltenham win.
This is not a swipe at Kauto Star….clearly exceptional but his rating is too high for the Gold Cup.<br>
Quote: from Aidan on 7:34 pm on Mar. 19, 2007[br]171 for Turpin Green….I just cannot have that…<br>
You’re right. How many decent horses get outrageously high ratings just because they ran ‘close’ in a GC? I’m thinking Sir Rembrandt, Harbour Pilot, Trucker’s Tavern, Take The Stand, Hedgehunter…
And I also agree with Kauto Star. He only beat Exotic Dancer 2.5 lengths on Friday, and Dancer barely jumped a twig. However, ED put in what was a career best run at the time in the King George, and got hammered 8L by Kauto. It just doesn’t add up, and also suggests that 3m2 is the very limit of KS’s stamina, and thus we were that close to having another One Man on our hands! ;)
Paul Nicholls said after the race that he would like to try for a third win in the Tingle Creek chase next season with Kauto Star. I really hope that he meets Well Chief in that race. IMO Well Chief is the only horse in training capeable of giving Kauto Star a serious race over two miles.
Like with every seaon though we need them to stay free of injury.
Hedgehunter and Truckers Tavern both showed they deserved their Gold Cup ratings due to figures they also recorded in handicaps.
Agree with the main point though. The Irish handicappers did the same last year in the Punchestown Gold Cup, gave Hi Cloy a ridiculous rating in excess of 160 just so that could have War of Attrition ahead of Beef or Salmon. Rather back fired on them on their head to head scores this year mind;)
Quote: from Friggo on 7:42 pm on Mar. 19, 2007[br]
Quote: from Aidan on 7:34 pm on Mar. 19, 2007[br]171 for Turpin Green….I just cannot have that…<br>
You’re right. How many decent horses get outrageously high ratings just because they ran ‘close’ in a GC? I’m thinking Sir Rembrandt, Harbour Pilot, Trucker’s Tavern, Take The Stand, Hedgehunter…<br>
Hedgehunter didn’t just run close in a Gold Cup to get to the mark he is at he’s won a Grand National been 2nd in the Grand National & Gold Cup and he also fell in Amberleigh House’s Grand National at the last where he probably would have won to say Hedge’s mark is just for running close in a Gold Cup is stupid.
I don’t buy the idea that Kauto Star still hasn’t done enough to justify claims that he’s one of the best chasers of the last twenty years, but I do worry that if he’s going to be beaten over any distance it will be the 3m 2.5f of the Gold Cup.
I maintain that he’ll improve for good ground (more so on a flatter track) and would love to see him contest the Champion Chase next season. According to those at the Nicholls yard he compares favourably to the almighty Azertyuiop, and he’s already hammered the now two mile champion in spite of his jumping errors. Obviously people want to win Gold Cups, but the Champion is no less prestigious in my eyes (I’d take a 2m chase over a 3m 2f event any day of the week) and would pit two outstanding horses against each other.
Kauto Star and Well Chief, eyeball to eyeball rounding the turn, what a finish that would be…..
Quote: from Danny on 7:49 pm on Mar. 19, 2007<br>[br]
Hedgehunter didn’t just run close in a Gold Cup to get to the mark he is at he’s won a Grand National been 2nd in the Grand National & Gold Cup and he also fell in Amberleigh House’s Grand National at the last where he probably would have won to say Hedge’s mark is just for running close in a Gold Cup is stupid.
True, but do you really think Grand National form is reflected so strongly in BHB ratings, when the race gets its own handicapping?
Hedgehunter was on a rating which befitted the standard of horse it was: a good handicapper, and an also-ran in the ‘championship’ chases. These ‘blue riband’ races were mostly in Ireland, so have minimal effect on the BHB rating. Then it came 2nd at Cheltenham and found itself in the mid 160’s. I think the fact that he’s now back to 158 shows that the Gold Cup rise was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction.
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