Kauto Star - what a horse

[pilamenon]

Kauto Star just has to be the greatest jumps horse in history.

As impressive and wonderful as Kauto Star is, there are quite a few others with similar claims. Desert Orchid and Arkle, to name but two. Desert Orchid, in particular, was campaigned far more extensively than Kauto Star who is restricted to three or four runs a season, and he was more versatile. Despite the inevitable media hype, today was hardly a vintage King George in terms of depth.

With a less novicey round, Long Run would probably have won, but it's good to see jumping decide the race.

[Barbirollians]

I cannot have that at all. Kauto Star has been campaigned more sparingly in recent seasons but look at his record in 2007 and 2008 ! More versatile ! What nonsense Desert Orchid was nowhere near as good a horse going left handed ( he won his Gold Cup due to sheer guts ) and Kauto won two Tingle Creeks too ! As much as I loved Dessie - Kauto is plainly his superior.

Furthermore, Long Run jumped really well until Kauto turned the screw six out - he was forced into making mistakes by Kauto storming down the back straight and could just not keep up.

[Barbirollians]

Looks like Kauto might miss the Gold Cup due to injuries sustained in a schooling fall of all things . If he gets there I shall have such bad butterflies I will feel like hiding behind the sofa - quite hard to do in the Cheltenham grandstand !

[Lateralthinking1]

Earlier Ascot comments notwithstanding, I will follow this if Kauto gets there and support. I've never been to Cheltenham races but it was the big favourite of my friend Nigel Munn who went there every year.

He died very unexpectedly from a sudden brain haemmorhage in 2004 at the age of 40 and would have loved to have attended this one. There was a race in his name at Stratford for several years but I'm not sure that it still takes place.

Anyway, the latest news - http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...newsfeed=true. - and back to the here and now......

[Globaltruth]

Today's the day, 3.20 @ Chelt., and it's anyone's guess.

Typically when you think it's a 2 horse race it doesn't work out that way...

[EdgeleyRob]

Today's the day, 3.20 @ Chelt., and it's anyone's guess.

Typically when you think it's a 2 horse race it doesn't work out that way...

And it didn't, which is good news if you had the winner.

[Petrushka]

And it didn't, which is good news if you had the winner.

As I did!

KS faced an uphill task after his schooling fall and I've never taken to Long Run so Synchronised seemed the obvious choice. My only winner of the entire meeting though!

[Barbirollians]

It was a very stressful experience to be there on Gold Cup day but at least kauto came home safe and sound . He started off brilliantly but clearly tweaked the problems caused by the fall at the water . Admirable and immensely likeable as Synchronised is - difficult not to feel that had the King George winning Kauto turned up he would have won .

Even so he is clearly the top three mile chaser of the season - which in the light of his bad 2010-2011 is an amazing achievement.