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If Denman is at the top of his game then without a doubt. Doesnt mean he will beat him though
It is a major shame Denman and Kauto Star are under the same stable – i do doubt Denman could have beaten him around Kempton today (effortless), but it would have been a damn sight more interesting. He may not be at his best there, but a beating by the Pipe beast when clearly stones / miles below par doesn’t convince me Denman doesn’t ACT around Kempton.
The fact remains that Kauto Star wins the King George the last three years at least, without having to race against the best / at least 2nd best, staying chaser in training.
Once a year isn’t enough for greedy folk such as myself!
Well said Denman54 & Ardrossthegreat!!!
Now, what photo shall we select for Mr Monskfield….
Blows almighty *raspberry.*
Zip
It’s quite appropriate that after such a sensational performance, Kauto Star broke two records, set by the two most celebrated chasers before him.
In the process of winning by an unofficial 36L, Kauto Star set a new record as the widest margin winner, breaking the great Arkle’s 1965 record. He became the first horse to win the race on four consecutive occasions, something that national treasure Desert Orchid could not achieve.
Like his Gold Cup triumph in March, he was quite simply flawless. A foot perfect exhibition of jumping, summed up during two very different stages of the race – the second and second last fence, respectively.
Many argued he may not be as good this season, but in regaining his Gold Cup crown he was arguably better than ever. His 15L beating of Exotic Dancer that day, an old rival whom he had struggled to defeat convincingly on left-handed tracks, certainly supports that opinion.
He really is the complete package these days. His speed and stamina is now perfectly complimented by experience, which has seen him jump with a new level of consistency. In a season that will see him wave a fond farewell to single figures and turn ten, you have to think he is in his prime at this stage of his career.
Madison Du Berlais stayed on really well to snatch second from Barbers Shop close home. A Grade One winner himself, the former Hennessy hero was unable to dominate in a race where the pace was solid. It’s very hard to see him being a threat in the Gold Cup. He reserves his best for flat tracks and it wouldn’t surprise me if connections took on Denman again in the Aon Chase before Cheltenham and Aintree.
Barbers Shop was given a patient ride by Barry Geraghty and he was the only challenger to emerge from the pack five from home. As expected, he travelled really well off a good pace and he jumped as well as anything. Three miles around Kempton was always going to prove ideal, but he just couldn’t handle Kauto’s Kick off the final bend. He would arguably have won without the winner and, much as I expected, connections have highlighted the Ryanair Chase as a longterm target. He goes there with a huge chance of giving The Queen an emotional Festival winner, with a horse bred by the late Queen Mother.
Whereas Kauto Star recorded air mileage over the second fence, Imperial Commander lost any chance he had at the same obstacle. There were doubts surrounding his ability to replicate his form on a right-handed track and one could argue todays result proved inconclusive. Paddy Brennan gave him plenty of time to recover from his mistake and he was slowly creeping into the race when they ventured down the farside for a second time. He certainly had time to recover from his mistake and I’m still of the opinion that any horse, so effective around the undulations of Cheltenham, would struggle to translate that ability around the sharp, flat turns of Kempton. He still remains a worthwhile contender for the Blue Ribbon around his beloved Prestbury Park.
Of course, he will need to be at his very best to trouble Kauto Star, who has now established himself as the greatest horse of his generation, regardless of what happens in March. I have no doubt that my next comment will meet with some resistance, but Kauto Star doesn’t need Denman.
Todays race proved beyond doubt that Denman’s injection of pace in the 2008 Gold Cup was not to blame for Kauto Star’s below-par effort. In fact, the quicker the pace, the more he thrives and if Denman runs himself legless like he did that year, there’s only one outcome.
Kauto Star is the only horse to complete the King George / Gold Cup double more than once and he’s halfway there to completing it for an unprecedented third time. He became the first horse to regain the Gold Cup crown in March and he has now become the first horse to win four consecutive King George’s, shattering the previous winning margin record in the process.
I certainly wouldn’t bet against him winning a fifth King George and he can certainly add another Gold Cup to his long list of achievements.
He could easily be remembered as the most decorated chaser we have ever seen.
There is a world of difference between 3 miles around Kempton’s flat track in December and Cheltenham’s 3 miles 2 furlongs in March.
The ground will play a big part in the outcome when the two Nicholls’ stars go head to head for the third time. Anyone who thinks Kauto Star is already home and hosed in the 2010 Gold Cup may be in for a rude awakening.
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What can i say that was truely an awesome performance where he absolutly destroyed them, but lets get things into reality, barbers shop was recieving a stone and a half from denman in the hennesy so in reality kauto had to of put on this type of performance!!!
there are holes in the form, visually this was more impressive than denmans but denmans form for me is more solid (last time out runs only)
cheltenham tend to overwater for political reasons so the best ground kauto could hope for would be soft side of good which would be perfect but for some reason i am expecting soft ground or holding ground just a pure hunch tbh!!!
soft ground/ good to soft – denman has the advantage because he will kick hard at 5 from home!!
good ground or soft side of good kauto should be able to outkick denman
for me i have always been a denman purely over the trip because it is such a big test and i was never really convinced that kauto was truely a stayer, i still have my doubts because denman will set hardish fractions!!! (i am hoping mccoy gets the call) i just dont see kauto quickening twice to beat denman
kauto’s jumping gets sticky in softish ground thats why i have my doubts if he really should be favourite all i see is the monster denman being fresh happy and back to is hardened best i see him outstaying kauto star when he looks vunerable for moment!!
there is no doubt these two are truely great horses we are blessed that are in our era!!
I for one don’t believe Kauto is ‘home and hosed’…….but neither do I believe that the 2008 GC was Kauto’s proper running. I mean, does anyone ?
Doesn’t the proximity of the third offer a bit of a clue ?
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Jumps is not my main passion when it comes to racing but how people can even have the temerity to douse water on this fantastic achievement is beyond me. What more do people want. 4 King Georges on the trot with the fourth one a majestic almost contemptuous display of superiority. The horse was hacking up the entire straight after what looked like a very strong pace from which he was never that far off. Two Gold Cups with a third one to follow. The Arkle comparisons are tedious in the least. I have little doubt he would win a Hennessy carrying a ton. When he beats Denman again what will there be left to quibble about then. No worries on that front though, somebody on hear will come up with something. This horse just goes out and does it time and time again. Contrast that with so many talking horses in this sport, the latest being Binocular and it is easy to see how rare this athlete’s achievements are.
The fact he is the only horse people have seriously compared to Arkle is a huge compliment.
The only difference between them is Arkle never flinched and came up the Cheltenham Hill like a greyhound, Kauto doesn’t, even last year you could see he was feeling it. Round Kempton? There wouldn’t have been a thing between them IMO and that’s some compliment.
That was a truly great performance; to those who say what did he beat, that’s fine but half the reason we decry those in behind is because Kauto is in such a different class.
It is a pity that Imperial Commander and Deep Purple were not able to run their races, but Nacarat is a decent horse around Kempton who has run a valiant race and Kauto has basically hacked over him.
For whatever reason Kauto has never captured my imagination; I think it’s because I’m fed up with the domination of the Nicholls/Bromley axis, but I cannot crab his record; would love to have seen him take Dessie on.
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What did he beat? He destroyed horse people call brilliant one week and the next they ask silly questions like that…RSA, Hennessy, Ryanair winners in there in case no one noticed
There is a world of difference between 3 miles around Kempton’s flat track in December and Cheltenham’s 3 miles 2 furlongs in March.
The ground will play a big part in the outcome when the two Nicholls’ stars go head to head for the third time. Anyone who thinks Kauto Star is already home and hosed in the 2010 Gold Cup may be in for a rude awakening.
No way ‘H" Denman beat a sick horse and you know it. Wouldn’t matter if the ground was heavy if Kauto goes there 100% he wins.
Denman simply couldn’t go fast enough to get Kauto of the bridle. Denman could hardly put one leg in front of the other in the latter stages when winning the race in 2008.
Last year had Denman been ridden more positively and been 100% he might have got a few lengths closer but no way on earth would he have beaten Kauto last year and this year it will be exactly the same.
On that performance today, Kauto Star would most likely have destroyed Desert Orchid. It was near faultless.
* Fist, I know what I saw. If Kauto Star had been a sick horse, Ruby would have pulled him up. Neither he ( Ruby ) nor Paul Nicholls offered any excuses in 08.
Kauto is sheer class but a muddy cheltenham in march is a great leveller.
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I doubt very much he would have destroyed Dessie. No doubt Kauto is exceptional but was also lucky enough to see Dessie and he was exceptional too
I doubt very much he would have destroyed Dessie. No doubt Kauto is exceptional but was also lucky enough to see Dessie and he was exceptional too
Desert Orchid had as much speed as Kauto of that there is no doubt
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How anyone can crab form where a horse wins a truly run 13 rnr gd1 chase by 36l, and without breaking sweat, escapes me completely. Savour his magnificence while you may, he can’t have much more than another year at the top, and few will see a better performance, however long they live.
Imperial Commander proved what many already knew, that he is one of the most inconsistent horses in training (and, imo, from one of the more inconsistent yards) and the notion that he is anywhere near as good as today’s winner is entirely laughable.
Barber Shop, for my money, didn’t get home, and it’ll be a soft 3m gd1 if he were ever to win one.
Kauto Star 1st, the rest nowhere – end of.
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