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Kauto is the better horse over three miles and possibly on quicker ground but 3 1/4 miles at Cheltenham on this ground is a real sapping test. Kauto’s win last year wasn’t his highest rating by a long way.
One further point – Watch the replay. Imagine Denman not running, Ruby would’ve waited in behind Neptune Collonges and done him comfortably on the run in. He couldn’t do that though he had to go earlier and chase Denman – Denman just cracked him IMO.
That was a brilliant race. Seeing an old fashioned steeplechaser pulverise the field.
Kauto hasn’t been as good this year as he was last year. Conditions suited Denman today, there was always going to be one winner and 9/4 was a superb price.
Great to see Neptune run such a good race, roll on Punchestown for him.
Kauto’s been a good few pounds below his best there, but over 3m2 with a genuine pace I’m sure he’ll never produce his best having watched the race today. Denman wins today regardless.
The proximity of Neptunes’ Collonges doesn’t make me cynical towards the form, although the way he closed on KS up the hill says to me that KS doesn’t quite get home when the GC is run at a respectable pace..FWIW, I wouldn’t rule out Kauto beating Denman in the future, just not in the Gold Cup on anything other than unusually lively ground
what do you guys think the ratings will be? it wasn’t that big a win, there is absolutely no way i could see Denman winning that race if Kauto Star had jumped even 3 quarter of the fences well, and it can not be down to the pace of the race, kauto was fine in the tingle creek which was faster. He almost jumped through every fence, don’t know about anyone else, but it was even in the commentators vocies, Denman is slightly flattered by this result
Kauto Star was closing on Denman going to the last and pulling clear of Neptune Collonges until he belted that obstacle. I thought that took any wind he had left and cost him clear second place.
i think he did that to over half the fences tbh? thats the worst jumping i have ever seen him do
The proximity of Neptunes’ Collonges doesn’t make me cynical towards the form, although the way he closed on KS up the hill says to me that KS doesn’t quite get home when the GC is run at a respectable pace..
FWIW, I wouldn’t rule out Kauto beating Denman in the future, just not in the Gold Cup on anything other than unusually lively ground
That’s my take on it too. 3m 2f on soft ground in a fast run race is too much for KS. In fact (assuming they both come back fit and well) if the ground came up soft next year I could see KS going for the Ryanair rather than the GC.
As i said in my earlier post, i think Kauto Star didn’t like having things dictated to him.
I can’t remember another race where there has been a horse of Denman’s ability to make the running and dictate things as much towards Kauto Star.
This put Kauto Star under pressure, which made his jumping become less fluent and caused him to hit a few of his fences.
I think one of the biggest problems is that caused by the media, who always rush to elevate a horse to superstar status when they generally have a long way to go to be considered anything like that, and sadly,convincing many people that they are right.
Horses such as Arkle and Golden Miller come along only very occasionally, and for all his achievements so far, I don’t think Kauto Star can be remotely compared with these two, and neither for that matter can Denman. Let’s face it – it was hardly a vintage field that assembled for today’s Gold Cup – and whilst noone can crab them for being the best of the bunch, I frankly believe that it is a pretty poor bunch at best. Not one horse in that field has shown any form remotely comparable to that of Arkle or Golden Miller, and is never likely to, in my opinion.
Arkle was beaten just six times in his entire career and was a true legend -Golden Miller, whilst beaten more often, turned up at Cheltenham five years running, and won the Gold Cup, regardless of opposition, going, tactics etc – and went on to win the Grand National in a record time that stood for almost 40 years over fences that were far stiffer than todays. What is more, the Miller was never wrapped in cottonwool, as so many chasers are nowadays.
I am not disputing anyone’s right to think of Denman or Kauto Star as champions – we are all entitled to our opinions and there is no definitive right or wrong answer – but I do think that far too many people have been carried away by all the hype and need to look at the overall picture a little more realistically.
i think he did that to over half the fences tbh? thats the worst jumping i have ever seen him do
If it wasn’t his worst, if won’t have been far off.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Denman on this day made the rest of the runners have a bad day when he runs in that style you have to be at your very best to get near him. kauto run his heart out but was pressured to make mistakes same applies to Exoctic dancer.
As i said in my earlier post, i think Kauto Star didn’t like having things dictated to him.
I can’t remember another race where there has been a horse of Denman’s ability to make the running and dictate things as much towards Kauto Star.
This put Kauto Star under pressure, which made his jumping become less fluent and caused him to hit a few of his fences.
Im sorry but this can not be possible, it wasn’t a fast race, kauto HAS travelled faster and jumped fluently before, imho Kauto star is come horse to be able to wallop all those fences and still pick it up to get second, unless something is seriously wrong with him, he will be back, after 5 fences i knew Kauto couldn’t win, he just wasn’t jumping at all.
Denman on this day made the rest of the runners have a bad day when he runs in that style you have to be at your very best to get near him. kauto run his heart out but was pressured to make mistakes same applies to Exoctic dancer.
This is again wrong lol, i stress again KS has gone quicker than what wwe have just seen. Kauto jumped once really well, the first fence lol. maybe he was under pressure for the rest of the race then? ^^
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