Racing
Why Kauto Star Can’t Be Beaten In The Gold Cup
Three King George VI Chases, two Tingle Creek Chases, three Betfair Chases, an Ascot Chase, an Aon Chase and, of course, two Cheltenham Gold Cups and there are still questions being asked about the French born genius Kauto Star.
There were those in Haydock’s betting ring on Saturday that thought that Kauto’s best days were behind him. Many argued that the heavy ground was going to make the race a slog, that he was unfit and that he was going to be vulnerable without any recent race experience. Many pundits and punters sided with the Welsh National winner Notre Pere to triumph in the Betfair Chase and there was also plenty of money for rivals Madison du Berlais and Imperial Commander.
Of course, Kauto gave one heck of a gutsy performance on the day to beat Imperial Commander by a nose proving that he remains arguably the best chaser in training at the present time. The next step is the King George VI Chase at Ascot on Boxing Day where Paul Nicholls’ champion will be looking to win for the fourth consecutive year.
Clearly, there will be revenge on the mind of Nigel Twiston-Davies although Imperial Commander was beaten by seventy lengths after running a terrible race at last year’s King George. However, that defeat came at a time when the Twiston-Davies stable was out of form and he will have a second crack at the champ next month. Kauto Star is a clear favourite at 8/11 for the King George with Imperial Commander available at 6/1.
Age, lack of experience, ring-rustiness and the odd jumping mistake (the 2008 Betfair Chase is a good example) have led many to believe that Kauto Star’s days are numbered, and are make plausible cases for his rivals in the build up to next spring’s Cheltenham Gold Cup. The simple fact is this, however; there is no way that Kauto Star can be beaten in that race.
Had one of his main rivals - the likes of Notre Pere or Imperial Commander - beaten the Gold Cup champ at Haydock on Saturday, some questions may have been asked. As it was, and I appreciate it was by just a nose, Kauto Star’s win in a race which Paul Nicholls admitted was difficult to get the horse fit for, proved beyond doubt that he remains the chaser to beat. On this form he should absolutely walk the King George next month and will then head to Cheltenham for the big race on the 19th of March.
Madison du Berlais and Notre Pere have both, unsurprisingly, drifted in the betting for the Gold Cup. Depending on how well Imperial Commander runs at the King George next month, I’d say that only he and Denman are Kauto’s real challengers for the big race and I genuinely don’t believe either of those chasers are good enough.
Denman, of course, won the Gold Cup in 2008 although Kauto Star’s lack of a turn of pace led many to believe he was carrying an injury that day. His jumping in 2008 was also uncharacteristically poor. A fully fit Kauto Star crushed Denman in 2009 by thirteen lengths in a performance Timeform called “arguably the best performance in the race since Arkle” and “ending once and for all any doubt about his place among the greats”. After the race, Ruby Walsh, the top jockey at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival was quoted as saying: “He [Kauto Star] is the greatest horse I’ve ever ridden.”
Ruby knows a thing or two about Cheltenham, and so with the great champ showing he still has the guts, staying power and jumping ability to win (even on soft ground) he is the 7/4 Gold Cup favourite. Considering his likely opponents in that race, I can’t make a good enough case for any of them and so I’d snap up that price before a likely King George victory sees Paul Nicholls’ superb chaser sent off at odds-on by the time the Gold Cup comes around.
King George VI Chase Betting - Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting
