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LGR
"Kicking King is probably good enough to challenge for fourth place, but to come back from the layoff he has had and shake up the likes of Kauto Star, Denman and Exotic Dancer just doesn’t look plausible. His victory over Take The Stand is hardly stunning form, and neither is a King George win over Kingscliff nor the head beating of Monkerhostin. He’s a place lay for me…the biggest of the Festival."
I would give Kicking King a squeak IF back to his best. I realise his Gold Cup form wasn’t too special however running a King George 11 seconds quicker than Kauto Star has ever done on similar ground is. The big doubt of course is if he’s anywhere near his best as not many Championship winners come back as good, Inglis Drever being the only one I can think of in recent years. Of the big two Denman has impressed me this year and will be very interesting to see if he can get Kauto Star to use his "spurt" earlier than the second last. I can’t see Exotic Dancer beating them both so I will be considering Kicking King for a small investment in the hope he retains all his ability with the hope the quicker they go the better.
Have just watched the Saturday race. Denman is a machine, an absolute machine. He’ll gallop them to death in the Gold Cup. Hyperbolic maybe, but I’ll be backing him big time.
I cant split them. Have always believed that Kauto Star will go down in history as perhaps the best NH horse ever, but I have to take my hat off to Denman and say he looked incredibly impressive. I dont think I have ever seen a horse jump a fence as well as Denman jumps a fence.
Its possible that the 2 greatest chasers of all time have just happened to be around at exactly the same time and will meet. I wouldnt rule out king Kauto and I wouldnt rule out Devestating Denman.I may even be close to changing my mind and having Denman as the one they all have to beat now.
I may even be close to changing my mind and having Denman as the one they all have to beat now.
O Ye of little faith!! Kauto will show you on saturday, if he runs..
I may even be close to changing my mind and having Denman as the one they all have to beat now.
O Ye of little faith!! Kauto will show you on saturday, if he runs..
I hope he does, Kauto Star is my all time favourite NH horse.
"They approach the fence at the top of the hill in the 2008 Gold Cup, it can be won or lost here and Sam Thomas kicks again on Denman…. he effortlessly goes five lengths clear… hold your breath…. oh what a fantastic jump by Denman… but Ruby is sat motionless on Kauto Star in second, Kicking King looks a tired horse back in third… and don’t rule out Exotic Dancer, we know he stays up the hill…. all to play for and what a race in prospect as they swing for home with two to jump. Thomas gets a little lower in the saddle and asks Denman to go and win the race, but he is being stalked by his great rival Kauto Star and Ruby is looking round for dangers…. here’s the second last, another great leap by Denman, he gets away from it running, as to does Kauto Star….and still Ruby takes a pull… don’t rule out Exotic Dancer, he’s plugging on down the rail but he will need to quicken from there…. but up front, Denman, this relentless galloper still has a three length lead and Ruby is beginning to ask Kauto to go about his work…. one to jump in the Gold Cup… Denman, steadied into it….. he’s over…. a terrible blunder by Kauto Star, we’ve seen it before but don’t rule him out…. Exotic Dancer is beat in third, but he is a distance ahead of anything else….. up the run in, Denman pours it on… listen to the roar, this is what we came to see a champion in waiting against the reigning champion…. Ruby is getting a tune out of Kauto, he’s beginning to stay on up the hill… half a furlong to go, Denman by two….Denman, it’s Denman holding Kauto Star…. Ruby is asking for everything but he’s not getting any closer….Denman if anything is going further clear as the line approaches…. what a race…. what a pair of equines… they came to battle, they eye balled each other, they gave everything…. but it’s… DENMAN and Sam Thomas punches the air as he crosses the line four or five lengths clear of a weary looking Kauto Star… that mistake cost him alright… but he’s lost nothing in defeat… Exotic Dancer, gallant in third…."
That’s the way I see it anyway
Mike
"They approach the fence at the top of the hill in the 2008 Gold Cup, it can be won or lost here and Sam Thomas kicks again on Denman…. he effortlessly goes five lengths clear… hold your breath…. oh what a fantastic jump by Denman… but Ruby is sat motionless on Kauto Star in second, Kicking King looks a tired horse back in third… and don’t rule out Exotic Dancer, we know he stays up the hill…. all to play for and what a race in prospect as they swing for home with two to jump. Thomas gets a little lower in the saddle and asks Denman to go and win the race, but he is being stalked by his great rival Kauto Star and Ruby is looking round for dangers…. here’s the second last, another great leap by Denman, he gets away from it running, as to does Kauto Star….and still Ruby takes a pull… don’t rule out Exotic Dancer, he’s plugging on down the rail but he will need to quicken from there…. but up front, Denman, this relentless galloper still has a three length lead and Ruby is beginning to ask Kauto to go about his work…. one to jump in the Gold Cup… Denman, steadied into it….. he’s over…. a terrible blunder by Kauto Star, we’ve seen it before but don’t rule him out…. Exotic Dancer is beat in third, but he is a distance ahead of anything else….. up the run in, Denman pours it on… listen to the roar, this is what we came to see a champion in waiting against the reigning champion…. Ruby is getting a tune out of Kauto, he’s beginning to stay on up the hill… half a furlong to go, Denman by two….Denman, it’s Denman holding Kauto Star…. Ruby is asking for everything but he’s not getting any closer….Denman if anything is going further clear as the line approaches…. what a race…. what a pair of equines… they came to battle, they eye balled each other, they gave everything…. but it’s… DENMAN and Sam Thomas punches the air as he crosses the line four or five lengths clear of a weary looking Kauto Star… that mistake cost him alright… but he’s lost nothing in defeat… Exotic Dancer, gallant in third…."
That’s the way I see it anyway
Mike
Ha-HA great stuff Mike, i love reading stuff like this i’m getting very excitied as this will be my 1st time going to Cheltenham and the gold cup looks to be one of the best ever in terms of excitement between these two i have been counting down the days since ordered my tickets last November roll on March
So you think Thommo will be doing commentary then, Mikky?
We were born in the same town, but please don’t tell me I sound like him Mike
This is truly a race to enjoy and should be built (hyped) up accordingly.
Personally, i’d love to see Denman jumping the last with Kauto Star pretty much upsides and Exotic Dancer about 1 length further back. Whatever happens from there will be folklore. I pray that they are get there and get round safely.
I predict those three will be 10-15 lengths up on the rest of the field.
If Kauto Star can pass Denman up that hill after over 3 miles of jumping he will truly go down as a exceptional horse. Denman never looks like slowing down.
Kauto best NH horse ever? Don’t make me … or Arkle laugh.
Anyhow,. once Denamn trounces KS at Cheltenham all that silly talk will be put to bed.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
I see it much the same, but with Denman being the first off the bridle, Thomas will panic coming over the second last with kauto stalking in behind.
Denman will jump just in the lead at the second last with kauto just behind and Thomas will push out as kauto doesn’t come off the bridle and his speed will take him to the front, they will jump the last together and kauto will edge it winning up the hill, we have all seen it before with Denman, and watching his defeat to Nicanor is the way he will be beaten by Kauto Star, just over larger obstacles, can see it now just watch the link and change Nicanor to Kauto and the hurdles to fences!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=no6Q5Hho6DQ
Come on Kauto!
Kauyto best NH horse ever? Don’t make me … or Arkle laugh.
Anyhow,. once Denamn trounces KS at Cheltenham all that silly talk will be put to bed.
exactly we all know best ever NH horse is /was Limestone Lad
Anyone who thinks the fast pace will cause Kauto jumping problems is off their head.. His jumping has been immense this year, particularly in the KG where he was taking lengths out of horses. Denman is a good economical jumper and probably less likely to fall but he won’t out jump Kauto. Neither will he do him for toe. So the only way in my opinion that he’ll beat him is by outstaying him and people seem to forget that Kauto is unbeaten over 3m+. If this horse had never won Tingle creeks and been favourite for the champion chase I don’t think people would have had these doubts..
He’s never looked like stopping to me and Ruby will sit him in behind Denman until coming to the last and from there on it will be a foregone conclusion when Ruby lets him go..
The KG was the most impressive chase performance of the season imo. When they interviewed McCoy afterwards and he said coming round the final bend Ruby was taking a pull and telling his horse to "wo" I thought at that point that they will need Pegasus to beat this horse.. ED is the standard of most GC winners and he was flat to the boards at that point and was left miles behind when Ruby let Kauto go.. Denman will need soft ground, mistakes from Kauto and to run faster than he ever has before to win..
Kauto best NH horse ever? Don’t make me … or Arkle laugh.
Anyhow,. once Denamn trounces KS at Cheltenham all that silly talk will be put to bed.
If, however, Kauto trounces Denman (I am saying IF) with no excuses then Kauto will have to be seriously considered as something like as good as Arkle.
I’m a great Arkle fan myself, Himself but we can’t just stick our head in the sand and say that there’ll never be another as good as him.
Pre-Arkle some old gits were probably saying "Yes, he’s good but he’s no Golden MiIler".Kauto Star has won Grade 1 chases over distances ranging from 2 mile to 3m 2 1/2 f.
He was won grade 1’s on flat tracks, testing tracks, undulating tracks, sharp tracks and galloping tracks.
If he beats that monster Denman in the Gold Cup and then returns next season for another season of taking grade 1s over different trips on different types of tracks and then gets the 3rd gold cup, then surely you would be forced to admit that yes indeed Kauto Star is the best NH horse ever.Long way to go yet but I hardly think describing Kauto Star as potentially the greatest ever is even close to a laughable comment.
The KG was the most impressive chase performance of the season imo. When they interviewed McCoy afterwards and he said coming round the final bend Ruby was taking a pull and telling his horse to "wo" I thought at that point that they will need Pegasus to beat this horse.. ED is the standard of most GC winners and he was flat to the boards at that point and was left miles behind when Ruby let Kauto go.. Denman will need soft ground, mistakes from Kauto and to run faster than he ever has before to win..
Exotic was clearly below form at Kempton. The strength of the form hangs on Our Vic (subsequently beaten by Knowhere, who was of course stuffed in the Hennessy) and Racing Demon. That isn’t to knock KS as he murdered them on the day, but the generally held view that the King George form is strong compared to the Hennessy being weak is misguided imo.
Denman may need to run faster than he has done before to win, but he has won all his races so easily that it would seem foolish (to me at least) to state with any degree of confidence that he wont be up to beating KS.
He is Pegasus
The one thing about Kauto Star that might take him to the very top of the all times greats is his ability to win at any distance put in front of him.
If he was entered for the Queen Mum he would be favouite and probaly win it doing handstands.
I have no idea why people thing he might run out of gas at Cheltenham he has already won a Gold Cup and could have gone another circuit at Kempton.
I simply can’t see Denman taking Kauto of his feet at any point in the race. This not a bunch of handicappers or The Listner he’s taking on here. This is the best chaser in the world who has never been taken off the bridle by any horse until Ruby says go. If he up to the form he showed in the King George, Denman has absolutely no chance of containing him. I think he’ll do himself in by the time he jumps the last and will not get up the hill………..once he’s done his thing, their nothing left in the engine with Denman, he has no reserves.
I think Kauto will go past him like he is standing still and can honestly seeing a couple of horses passing him on the run to the line. Denman’s effort may end by him cutting his own throat and finishing a very tired horse.
That’s the way I have thought since I bet Kauto many months ago and why I recently EW bet Turpin Green at 66/1. I think there’s still some value to be found by EW backers and no value in betting Denman at all.
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