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He should never have even run in the Gold Cup and Ruby was obviously under instruction to pull him up at the first hint of stress.
Maybe he could have come back for another crack at the King George, but then he has broken Desert Orchids record so there is nothing to prove really.
Kauto Star is a legend and now is the time to bow out and say goodbye, no shame in pulling up in his last race, he owes us nothing.
I always remember the greed of John Hales running One Man in the Mumm Melling at Aintree 3 weeks after that brave servant had won him the Champion Chase, it still saddens me to think that beautiful brave horse doing his all for connections who didn’t know when to say enough is enough.
We want Kauto Star to be parading for King Georges and Cheltenham Gold Cups for years to come..retire him now.Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...If he’s fit and well I see no reason why he shouldn’t be allowed the opportunity to finish his career on a high in the Betfair Chase and/or the King George rather than a pull up when obviously not right in a Gold Cup.
I’m sure connections will make the correct decision.If he’s fit and well I see no reason why he shouldn’t be allowed the opportunity to finish his career on a high in the Betfair Chase and/or the King George rather than a pull up when obviously not right in a Gold Cup.
I’m sure connections will make the correct decision.They had that opportunity last December. Sending him back to the racecourse would be rather like once great boxers getting back into the ring because they miss the adulation. However, in this case the horse has no concept of the adulation, he is merely the plaything of someone’s ego.
RETIRE! I said it a year ago and he proved me spectacularly wrong!
Good on him,I said it would be the death of him to keep on running him and after being Pulled up again last week (For what reason other than Age is catching up with him) he has to be retired! If that horse died on the racetrack for whatever reason,connections would get publicly slaughtered! Paul Nicholls is a master of ‘Hindsight’ lets hope he has the ‘Foresight’ finally to call it a day!Let Clive Smith and Paul Nicholls decide. They know the horse very well. Their vets know the horse. Paul Nicholls looks at hundreds of horses every day to judge their physical and mental wellbeing. Smith and Nicholls may be competetive and determined men, but they are not greedy or stupid. If they think that the horse has a good chance of winning another Grade 1 chase then they should let him have a go.
The horse might resent a quiet life in the paddock, with no training regime, no fences to jump, and no races to compete in. He might be given some show jumping, dressage or hunting to keep him interested, but then he may have a simple fall that results in a serious injury or death. He might die of natural causes in a couple of years. Anything can kill a horse, even active retirement. If the horse has the desire to do the training and the racing it may be better for him to do just that. Horses cannot tell you what they want, but I would rather trust the judgement of someone who knows and loves the horse to make a better choice than I might make; even if that means the horse has the same fate as Best Mate. The same for horses as for humans, we should not be overly concerned with the fate that faces us all, but with the life that get us there.
Lets not underestimate the stress it puts on horses to compete at the top level in racing. Horses that have developed tendon trouble can go on to compete at eventing and show jumping etc which seems to put much less stress on their bodies. I have to defend Mr Hales, though, for sending One Man to Aintree. Many horses over the years have gone on to run at both festivals; look at what happened to Dessie when he did so. Perhaps we’re only just beginning to realise how much it takes out of a horse winning at the Festival. It broke his heart when One Man died.
i was firmly in the camp of retire him when he pulled up at punchestown last year but he came back this year and won 2 races so he did deserve his chance at the gold cup but during the race it was a repeat of last year at punchestown i dont think he has ever lost his fight the legs are not just up to it anymore it happens to us all i would like to see him retired so he can live out a happy live dont want to see a situation like best mate i know no one could predict that but there is always the danger i am sure he can still do all his excercise up the gallops with all the young horses and it would be a joy seeing him paraded all over the place like red rum was and even open a few betting shops!!!
It will end in tragedy if he is forced to carry on pounding round racecourses when all the signs are that it might not be wise.
It’s not just One Man and Best Mate who have met deaths they did not deserve. Look at all those other stars who have ended up prematurely dying after their racecourse exploits turned sour. Dawn Run and Ekbalco spring to mind.
The awful pictures in the papers of Best Mate’s terrible last few moments were absolutely sickening to see and extremely tasteless. The Daily Mail played it particularly disgracefully, showing a series of minute-by-minute photos of his collapse. A really bad error of judgement and taste.I think Clive Smith wants to call it a day. It was lucky he did not lose Master Minded at Kempton. Kauto may well be able to win another King George and I`m sure Nicholls is keen, possibly because he may not have anything else to enter. Congratulate them on getting him back this season but don`t go to the well again I`d say.
The owner can do what he wants with his horse. This is not a decision for Nicholls, he can advise Smith but the owner is the man responsible for the horse. If Kauto Star is killed racing, rising 13 I will never forgive Clive Smith for the damage his greed will have done to the sport. If ever a horse did not owe anyone a penny it has to be Kauto star. And don’t be telling me the horse needs the routine etc, Smith could employ someone for the rest of the horses life to keep him occupied and he would still be millions ahead. He will probably ‘give ‘ the horse away. The horse MUST be retired and if he isn’t I will start a campaign to protest against the horse running and I think there will be plenty of people willing to join me.
MUST be retired? How can you make such a statement without knowing how the horse is physically and mentally and expect to be taken seriously?
Kauto should be retired was being shouted from the rafters after last years Gold Cup but PN brought him back and he won 2 Grade 1’s beating the top rated chaser in the country.
His age had next to nothing to do with him being pulled up at Cheltenham and if he comes back after his summer rest full of beans why on earth would you retire him?
His age certainly never stopped him clocking a time in 2011 that was exactly the same as the time he clocked over the last 5 fences when he won the King George by a distance so there are hardly any signs to say he’s getting slower.
No doubt he is a bit slower but he’s so classy he can still compete and win at the top level.
Kauto Star will tell PN and Clive Smith when he’s ready to retire and if he does they are nice people who will have the horses best interest at heart and they will do what needs to be done.
The very idea of starting a protest when you have absolutely no idea what the horse wants is ridiculous.
Best you go back inside your soapbox instead of standing on it spouting nonsense.
MUST be retired? How can you make such a statement without knowing how the horse is physically and mentally and expect to be taken seriously?
Kauto should be retired was being shouted from the rafters after last years Gold Cup but PN brought him back and he won 2 Grade 1’s beating the top rated chaser in the country.
His age had next to nothing to do with him being pulled up at Cheltenham and if he comes back after his summer rest full of beans why on earth would you retire him?
His age certainly never stopped him clocking a time in 2011 that was exactly the same as the time he clocked over the last 5 fences when he won the King George by a distance so there are hardly any signs to say he’s getting slower.
No doubt he is a bit slower but he’s so classy he can still compete and win at the top level.
Kauto Star will tell PN and Clive Smith when he’s ready to retire and if he does they are nice people who will have the horses best interest at heart and they will do what needs to be done.
The very idea of starting a protest when you have absolutely no idea what the horse wants is ridiculous.
Best you go back inside your soapbox instead of standing on it spouting nonsense.
You don’t think the horse failing to jump a twig at Cheltenham indicates he has had enough? Did you see the horse in the paddock at Cheltenham? He should never have been there, he looked terrible. Smith can do what he wants with his horse but were the horse to be killed rising 13 on a race course it would do the sport terrible damage. Or maybe you think it would be good for the game.
Only one 12 year old has won the King George – Southern Hero in the inaugural running in 1937. His task was made all the more easy by the defection of Golden Miller, Reynoldstown and Royal Mail.
The last
great
chaser to attempt victory at 12 years of age was Desert Orchid, who took a sickening fall when well beaten three out, and was promptly retired.
You could say connections "got away with it" as far as Dessie was concerned, and the decision to retire him was driven more by relief (that he had survived the fall) rather than any other motivation.
Moscow Flyer showed us in 2005/6 how a horse can go from being top of the tree to being a shadow of his former self in the space of 12 months once father time catches up on him.
There was some debate on the Richard Lee thread about the virtues or otherwise of keeping older horses in training. Where this practice is arguably wrong is when a horse is asked to coninue racing at a level where he can no longer be competitive. In such situations the chances of injury or death are increased and I think tht is why we saw both Desert Orchid and Moscow Flyer so quicky retired.
Whilst I was in favour of Kauto being retired twlve months ago, and admitted I was completely wrong when he won his record breaking King George, I really think the time has now come to hang up his bridle one last time.
Only one 12 year old has won the King George – Southern Hero in the inaugural running in 1937. His task was made all the more easy by the defection of Golden Miller, Reynoldstown and Royal Mail.
The last
great
chaser to attempt victory at 12 years of age was Desert Orchid, who took a sickening fall when well beaten three out, and was promptly retired.
Ages of the top 3 finishers of the last 10 Maryland Hunt Cups:
2001: 9-13-11
2002: 13-11-12
2003: 12-9-10
2004: 11-13-15
2005: 14-12-12
2006: 13-11 (2 finished)
2007: 10-8-14
2008: 12-9-8
2009: 12-14 (2 finished)
2010: 10-11-10
2011: 12-9-13Basically what I’m saying is that Kauto Star needs to come over here and become a timber horse
. Over the wood a slow horse who jumps exceptionally well will always beat a fast horse that’s a sloppy jumper.My favorite old man timber horse was Young Dubliner (IRE). He won the Maryland Hunt Cup at 13, the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup at 14, and finished 3rd in the Maryland Hunt Cup at 15 after leading the first two miles. He ended his career at age 16 by winning a match race.
http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbHors … registry=TGoing back a ways the legendary Mountain Dew (best known as the rival of Jay Trump, whom he defeated on two occasions) won the Maryland Grand National for the 6th time at age 13, in 1968. The previous year he won the Grand National and the Maryland Hunt Cup.
Interesting statistic Miss Woodford. Found some great amateur footage of the 2009 renewal on YT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpT9znGPah4
Has the feel of a point to point crossed with a three day event. Well worth a vistit at some stage!
I recall not too long ago top class UK horses being shipped to the states, Lanzarote for instance finished 4th to Grand Canyon in the 1976 Colonial Cup and Morley Street won the Breeders Cup Chase in 1990 & 1991. So maybe one day Kauto will grace a US track!!
Interesting statistic Miss Woodford. Found some great amateur footage of the 2009 renewal on YT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpT9znGPah4
Has the feel of a point to point crossed with a three day event. Well worth a vistit at some stage!
I recall not too long ago top class UK horses being shipped to the states, Lanzarote for instance finished 4th to Grand Canyon in the 1976 Colonial Cup and Morley Street won the Breeders Cup Chase in 1990 & 1991. So maybe one day Kauto will grace a US track!!
They’re still sending in the second and third stringers
. http://www.nationalsteeplechase.com/wp- … _hills.pdfInterestingly Anglo-Irish invaders have not had such success over timber, perhaps because trainers and owners are more apt to let the mediocre hurdlers go than the mediocre 4 mile chasers. Justpourit might be the most recognizable name to go over and try the timber.
And you should absolutely go to the Maryland Hunt Cup at least once, it’s a truly unique raceday experience.
MUST be retired? How can you make such a statement without knowing how the horse is physically and mentally and expect to be taken seriously?
Kauto should be retired was being shouted from the rafters after last years Gold Cup but PN brought him back and he won 2 Grade 1’s beating the top rated chaser in the country.
His age had next to nothing to do with him being pulled up at Cheltenham and if he comes back after his summer rest full of beans why on earth would you retire him?
His age certainly never stopped him clocking a time in 2011 that was exactly the same as the time he clocked over the last 5 fences when he won the King George by a distance so there are hardly any signs to say he’s getting slower.
No doubt he is a bit slower but he’s so classy he can still compete and win at the top level.
Kauto Star will tell PN and Clive Smith when he’s ready to retire and if he does they are nice people who will have the horses best interest at heart and they will do what needs to be done.
The very idea of starting a protest when you have absolutely no idea what the horse wants is ridiculous.
Best you go back inside your soapbox instead of standing on it spouting nonsense.
You don’t think the horse failing to jump a twig at Cheltenham indicates he has had enough?
Did you see the horse in the paddock at Cheltenham? He should never have been there, he looked terrible.
Smith can do what he wants with his horse but were the horse to be killed rising 13 on a race course it would do the sport terrible damage. Or maybe you think it would be good for the game.
Anyway horses lose speed as they get older not their ability to jump and if anything they become more cautious.Every horse who takes part in any horses race is at risk, lets retire them all why don’t we?
Clive Smith seems like a very caring person who would not and will not run the horse unless he thinks that is what the horse wants to do. It’s got nothing to do with money it’s about not stopping him doing what he loves to do…If you had ridden racehorses or worked with them you would know how keen they are to get out there and be hoping it isn’t the end of the road for him…….Incidentally Fred Winter, one of the most respected trainers of all time won 2 races with Sonny Somers when he was 18 years old. Every time they thought about retiring him he’d come back after his summer break bucking and kicking like a 2 year old.
Kauto should be at least given that same chance.
. Over the wood a slow horse who jumps exceptionally well will always beat a fast horse that’s a sloppy jumper.
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