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I re watched Dessies Whitbread win the other night and a couple of his King Georges…..the way he jumped for fun [never any thought in those days about whether he would tip up or not] the way he battled against horses carrying less weight..the way he stopped dead when he knew he was being photographed…I just can’t feel the same way about Kauto Star [and I do try to].
Amazing how people differ. I never really got a buzz out of Dessie in his latter day but when he was a 2 mile hurdler he was amazing to watch……….he just went and bever stopped wenting (good word that) until he crossed the line……….almost took him on myself with one I owned way back then until John Francome told us to say at home it was along way to come to look at horses ass
He was beaten way too may times for my liking,
KautoStar is a different type of horse and it’s his instant acceleraion that attracts me to him. I’ve never seen another chaser who can turn the tap on like him and when he does he’s gone in a matter of strides and nothing can live with him. Put him at the 2nd last going well with Denman or any other horse in training they wouldn’t see the way he went. He’s almost the perfect racehorse apart from the fact he seems to need spectacles at times……..he’s either half blind or pig ignorant can never quite get to the bottom of why he just ploughs through one every now and then……..keeps it exciting though
I fell in love with One Man after Dessie, and then Grey Abbey….no, I’m not obsessed with grey horses..I think I just think it’s wonderful to see horses jumping because they enjoy it…..I always have it in my mind that Kauto is going to miss one out big time one day and not get away with it..I would like to see him in the flesh but not racing..if Denman goes to Warwick in a couple of weeks I’d like to see him…I really want to look at Kauto Star racing and feel that I’m witnessing something great but it just doesn’t happen; can’t explain it…..
Just for a laugh, I was going to argue that Tidal Bay put up a better performance in the Rowland Meyrick, than Alberta’s Run in the King George, so I decided to look at their RPRs.
Tidal Bay 172, Alberta’s Run 174 by the way.What got me however is that Voy Por Ustedes has been given 176, when he and Alberta’s Run were level weights, and he was beaten 0.5 lengths.
[edit: is that just a typo that will be soon corrected, or has VPU been given credit for blundering at a fence?]
looks that way and as VPU is normally a better jumper than that I can see where he’s coming from……….really doesn’t matter at the end of the day unless you are a ratings fanatic which I am certainly not.
Fist, Dessie won 27 out of 50 odd starts over fences. If Kauto ran that often you can be sure he wouldnt win that many. He doesnt have the constitution that Dessie had.
After spending 2 hours early on Friday morning studying, I came up with the conclusion that it was a pretty sub standard KG with the exception of Kauto and VPU and at the prcies would rather take The Magic Sign’s 6/4 than take a chance at 3/1 that VPU stayed. Doubled it up with Pressgang at 3s (talk about heart in mouth up the straight!) though I did have the ante post bet on Our Vic from way back.
The race itself was a good spectacle, but the form will prove to be questionable in my opinion. Yes there were 6 other Gr1 winners, but 2 were from novice races and still unproven in the grade in open competition. 3 of the others had never done it at 3m and as much as I love game old Snoopy Loopy, Kempton was not his course and as tough as he is, at some point in time, the races had to catch up with him.
Kauto did what he had to and did it well enough, but on reflection, what he did was not that great and certainly not back to his best or within half a stone of it. Yes he has been called some names and some of them a little harsh, but Mr Nicholls has also been guilty of jumping on the hype wagon when its pitched up so you can;’t have the press and everybody calling him great one minute and loving it, then not taking it when some of them turn. It seems you can’t have an opinion within the sport if its not complimentary, which is ludicrous. I’ll admit I am not overly sentimetal about horses. Yes I enjoy watching them money down or not and do get a little upset when they perish, but they very rarely make me all misty eyed and certainly aren’t something I feel I should show more respect to above and beyond treating them in a humane way as possible (including being anti whip or at least excessive use of). Anyway bottom line is it wasn’t a great Kg and the winner is still regressing as any horse of 8 rising 9 who has been at it since he was just turned 3 would be. That said, he may well get number 4 because what is gonna beat him that isn’t trained at Ditcheat?Regressing? sorry can’t have that he’s still a baby
. I think PN is training him differently this season and taking it much easier on him.He was defintatly more impressive last season I grant you that but then what? I thought he looked below par at Ascot and damn awful at Cheltenham………..this season PN is aiming him in one direction. The Cheltenham Gold Cup and you can bet your life he will be in similar condition to what he was in the King George last year.
I can’t wait for Cheltenham as I think we will see history made when Kauto becomes the first horse ever to get the Gold Cup back after losing it.
Chasers hit their prime around 9 years old BTW and some like Red Rum will still be winning top class races at 12 years of age unless your name is Sonny Summers who peaked when he was 17
I admire your faith, but PN seems to have a reason for every bad run, but why does it take him the bad run to work it out? He also constantly contradict himself on what the horse needs. One year its lots of races as he takes them well. The next he is running too often and too close together. He loves Haydock, he hates Haydock. Aintee is great, then Aintree is bad, then he still goes back to Aintree after a tough Gold Cup. Time will tell, but I am not a believer.
Seems there was an excuse for Air Force One’s poor run :
Torn muscles to blame for poor Air Force show
By Rodney Masters9.17AM 30 DEC 2008A REASON has come to light for Air Force One’s poor performance in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton, where he was sent off third favourite but was beaten 40 lengths by winner Kauto Star.
The Charlie Mann-trained Hennessy Gold Cup runner-up was lame when taken out of his box the following morning, and a later examination revealed torn muscles across his back. He is now undergoing an intensive course of physiotherapy.
Mann said on Tuesday: "Unfortunately Air Force One is lame. At this stage I’m not sure when he’ll be back on a racecourse because it will depend on how he responds to treatment.
"I believe he may have wrenched themuscles when making a mistake at the second fence because from then on he was never jumping or travelling with his normal fluency."
Noel Fehily, the horse’s regular jockey who had to miss the Kempton ride due to a cracked collarbone received in a fall at Fontwell, said on Tuesday that he was hopeful of a return to the saddle in the middle of next week.
Colin
He didnt run as well as i had expected, so that could well be the reason why.
Hope he has a quick recovery.
I’ve never seen any staying chaser have the acceleration that Kauto has. Look at the King George Alberta’s Run looked a threat then within about four strides Kauto had left him for dead. That turn of foot that he often shows between the third last and second last would take him past any horse when he’s in that type of form.
Fist, Dessie won 27 out of 50 odd starts over fences. If Kauto ran that often you can be sure he wouldnt win that many. He doesnt have the constitution that Dessie had.
Dessie was amazingingly tough I grant you that he actually ran 70 times in his very long career.
However that doesn’t mean he would have beaten Kauto Star round Kempton does it?
I think Dessie would have put Kauto Star’s jumping under severe pressure down the home straight.
Yes, I do think Dessie’s would beat Kauto Star, courage would’ve got him home, if jumping did not sought them out.
Mark
Value Is EverythingSomething we will never know Fist but I personally think he would have. Dessie would put him under too much pressure.
Its a great shame that its a race we will never see but at least I have been lucky to see both of them
That’s what it’s all about mate and replacing them when they have gone is impossible.
I saw Arkle, Persian War, Flying Bolt, Mill House, Burroughill Lad, Bula, Pendil, Red Rum, Drinnies Double, Dawn Run, Wayard Lad, Night Nurse, Desert Orchid and Istabraq plus the great Michael Dickinson famous 5 in my lifetime to mention a few……champions everyone of them and wouldn’t change it for the world
It will be a very long time before we see another two like Kauto Star and Denman who will be remembered long after I have gone..which could be soon if the lads keep getting me pixxed like last night
Couldnt agree more Fist. I am not that old
so wasnt lucky enough to see Arkle and his contemporaries.Well at least you would go enjoying yourself! We are in a pretty good era for NH when you consider Master Minded, Kauto & Denman. They would grace any era. Also think we could have a very special one in Binocular.
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