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To the eye that was mighty impressive,the clock tells you the remainder of the field failed miserably!The ground must have been on the Dead side,but all ground comes alike to Kauto star these days,cant knock it,a truly superb training feat of a truly superb horse!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I witnessed firsthand Kauto before and after his respective Gold Cup efforts in 2008 and 2009 and, believe me, he looked a completely different horse on both occasions.
He had no bounce in his step in the pre-parade before his defeat to Denman in 2008. Fast-forward one year and you would swear they were two different horses. He looked fresh and full of himself.
It must be remembered that he competed with a foot infection at Ascot prior to his defeat in 2008 and, minor or major, it must have been very uncomfortable and he was found lame after the race.
It was, therefore, no surprise to see him travel or jump with any fluency a month later.
This time, like last year, the story will be very different. He’ll be kept fresh and, touch wood, completely sound in the build up to Cheltenham.
He bounded up the hill last year and having seen him immediately after the race and being led away from the parade ring a little later, he looked like he hadn’t even had a race. John Francome said he looked as though he could go around again and he wasn’t wrong.
To win so decisively is one thing, but he wouldn’t have blown out a match after the race today.
As for the conditions playing a major role come March. As long as the ground isn’t bottomless, it won’t count against Kauto. Conditions were hardly ideal at Haydock and he jumped beautifully and today, on soft ground and far from ideal jumping conditions, he sauntered to victory.
The Kauto Star of 2009 would beat the Denman of 2008. There’s no doubt in my mind.
I still can’t fathom why people are knocking the form of the race. Listen, he beat a Grade One and former Hennessy winner by 36L in a canter. Madison Du Berlais is no mug and neither is Barbers Shop. It’s folly to use the latters Hennessy effort to compare the Ditcheat Duo. The conditions and circumstances of the race were entirely different – Barbers Shop was making his seasonal debut over a trip where he appeared not to stay at Newbury.
I could understand if he beat up on a bunch of muppets today, but a 36L defeat over that calibre of opposition is somewhat unbelievable and Madison Du Berlais is a damn sight more talented than Gonzo The Great.
Madison Du Berlais is no mug and neither is Barbers Shop. It’s folly to use the latters Hennessy effort to compare the Ditcheat Duo. The conditions and circumstances of the race were entirely different – Barbers Shop was making his seasonal debut over a trip where he appeared not to stay at Newbury.
But the way Barbers Shop actually ran was virtually the same. He travelled well and got tired. Sure the trip and course were more to his advantage today but that effort made down the backstraight to get in touch with KS and Nacarat did for him at the end. He also runs well fresh.
Neither he ( Ruby ) nor Paul Nicholls offered any excuses in 08.
Hardly surprising, when a veneer of impartiality is required ?
But the way Barbers Shop actually ran was virtually the same. He travelled well and got tired. Sure the trip and course were more to his advantage today but that effort made down the backstraight to get in touch with KS and Nacarat did for him at the end. He also runs well fresh.
Perhaps the term ‘folly’ is a bit strong – I can understand why some will make comparisons.
I fancied the horse to run a big race at Newbury, but I knew that todays race, a sharp three miles on a flat track, would be more ideal.
I don’t think it was his effort down the backstraight which led to him tiring and eventualy losing second place. In my opinion, as I predicted before the race, he was ridden for a place. Once Barry knew he had Nacarat’s measure he though ‘F*** it, I’ve got nothing to lose’ and chased Kauto from the final bend – that contributed more than anything to him losing second place.
This horse won over an extended three miles at Sandown last season and there’s nowhere to hide around there. A flat three miles or a stiff two miles-five are his optimum conditions at the highest level and I can see him landing a decent prize sooner rather than later.
On a slightly different note, RP online will probably have an update on Kauto Star’s wellbeing in the morning. Cue the word ‘fresh’ and ‘you wouldn’t even thought he had a race’ quote from Paul Nicholls.
I wonder what he said to Denman when he got home?
A question to all TRF members who compile ratings. How did you rate that performance?
with denman showing his wellbeing in the hennessey we are going into this gold cup as it was in 2008
if it’s soft denman has the capability to cause kauto problems, if it’s better than soft it plays into kauto’s hands cause as somebody posted, kauto can sometimes jump poorly on soft ground
take no notice of denman last year cause he was sick as a dog
the fly in the ointment is imperial commander
this is a very good horse when fresh and he loves cheltenham, twiston davis is well in the fuckwit club for even running him today
cant wait for the 19th march
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Bosranic
RPR has it at 192 – given their penchant for inflated ratings, that’s probably 5 or 6 lbs too high.ps. I’d consider beating the modest Abbeybraney a ‘soft race’, and still couldn’t have Barber’s Shop on my miind for any decent 3m test.
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Geez not again!
Would someone please tell my why they think the ground will stop Kauto Star.
Kauto has never been beaten on soft ground. He’s won on it 6 times at 2 miles and 3 miles and it would have been 7 but for falling and remounting. How many more times does he have to prove soft ground doesn’t make any difference to him…………talk about misconceptions.
And what about Denman? He won a poor Hennessy in soft and 2 moderate races all his best wins came on better groundMake no mistake Kasuto stays every yard of Cheltenham and would probably get further.
It was pretty soft at Haydock but I think now everyone would agree he wasn’t 100% fit yet he still managed to beat the best young horse in the country.
The way I look at it is in 2008 Denman V Kauto was on good to soft. Denman was ridden fairly prominently the took it up on the 2nd circuit.
Half way up the run in Denman had gone completely, barely able to put one leg in front of the other.
I don’t see soft ground making it easier for Denman if anything it could make it tougher from him. Kauto and Imperial Commander won’t mind it and there is always chances of dour stayers like Cooldine and Notre Pere causing a major shock when you get really bad ground.
i think we all get a bit protective of the horses we think are or were champions in our own opinion.
but to knock the achievement of Kauto Star yesterday or what he has achieved so far is imo petty.
This horse has reached greatness and should be rightly praised.
not only winning 4 King georges on the trot he did it in a manner yesterday that had me in awe of him and destroyed a top class king george field.
WE can say certain horses never ran up to form but true races like these shows up any flaws horses have and when the going gets tough we see the real champions shine.
i salute you Kauto Star as the best chaser i have witnessed and definatly the best King George winner ever.kauto = machine, Denman = machine =ground who wins
That just about sums it up! In a match though i would go-.
Cheltenham Gold Cup, Soft ground 4/5 Denman, ev Kauto
on genuine Good ground 4/7 Kauto, 11/8 Denman. Kauto has proved as he gets older his ground requirements are far less demanding,having said that if the ground ever came up like a bog i would go 1/2 Denman, 7/4 Kauto!If Kauto is at his best he’ll win whether the race is run on a bed of nails or a sea of water.
… and should, heaven forbid, that he lose, then of course he wasn’t at his best ( or he was sick !
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I don’t see how you can say that Ian – Kauto Star MAY not have been at his best in 2008 GC, although his trainer thinks he was at his best.
Denman was CERTAINLY not at his best in the 2009 GC.
There are no definitive answers – the best horse on the day will win, and i for one will savour it.
I don’t see how you can say that Ian – Kauto Star MAY not have been at his best in 2008 GC, although his trainer thinks he was at his best.
Denman was CERTAINLY not at his best in the 2009 GC.
There are no definitive answers – the best horse on the day will win, and i for one will savour it.
Kauto was nothing like the horse in 2008 (or 2007 for that matter) that he was at Cheltenham last year or Kempton yesterday.
Denman is an incredible horse don’t get me wrong but Kauto Star at his best is arguably as good a steeplechaser that has ever set foot on a racecourse.
I don’t get the "Denman will win on soft ground" thing that some people have thrown around, Kauto’s record on soft ground is faultless and he stays every inch of the trip.
Kauto is that good that he has to be below his best in order to get beaten.
The simple fact is that Kauto was over-raced in the 2008 season, when you look at how many races he was in and the gap between each race it worked out at little more than 2 weeks if I remember correctly.
The key is keeping him fresh, evidently looking at him now.
Kauto Star ran four times ( winning three, losing one) in season 07/08 prior to his Gold Cup second to Denman.
Not exactly over taxing
Surprisingly enough, the first year he won the Gold Cup ( ’07 ), he ran five times ( winning all) prior to his Cheltenham victory.
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