Kauto Star – the wonder horse – bounced back to winning ways at Haydock yesterday, taking his 4th Betfair Chase in devastating fashion. It leaves many wondering will we ever see his like again in our lifetime?
This was his 15th Grade One win, rising 12 years of age, which deems him a veteran – an unkind and scarcely believable term judging by yesterdays performance. Because it was the manner of the win and not just the result that was the real story yesterday.
Trainer Paul Nicholls had earlier indicated his charge’s preparedness on C4’s Morning Line. Outings like this one were previously a stepping stone to Kempton and the Gold Cup. But this is a horse with nothing left to prove. A horse who if he never ran another inch, would owe no one nothing. So Nicholls trained him with this race and nothing else in mind. As only he can.
A more enthusiastic and exuberant round of steeple-chasing you will rarely see. Jumping off prominently, Ruby Walsh seemingly deciding to put it up to his opponents from the start. He threw in superbly athletic leaps at every fence. The further they went the better he got. Kauto out jumped his main rivals to the extent that he wrong footed Diamond Harry and Gold Cup winner Long Run several times. They just could not live with him. Although visibly tiring approaching the last fence, he still mustered another massive effort, and won going away from young gun opposition, Long Run.
The reception they received was truly worthy of this equine hero. To say nothing of his masterful jockey, who almost seems to blend with this horse, such is their unity of movement and action. But it was Paul Nicholls reaction I found most telling. Not his buck-jumping on the finish line turf, though that was great too. On the walk back in, after shaking Ruby’s hand, he simply could not take his eyes off this horse. He had one hand on the bridle and two eyes on Kauto. He looked over his eyes, his head, his legs and went on staring as he walked. He barely glanced away to accept the many glad hands of congratuation. The man positively adores this creature. And not because he pays the most bills. I think even his trainer, who knows every inch of him and his ways, is in awe of Kauto’s superstar ability. And rightly so.
This performance is also the perfect antidote the ‘horses don’t like racing’ argument. As Paul Nicholls pointed out in that Nick Luck interview, Kauto Star adores his racing, and all the training and routine that this entails. His gut-busting display of attitude and enthusiasm yesterday shows this. He also referred to Marcus Armytage trying to take See More Business out hunting after he retired from racing, and what a failed enterprise it was. (Would love to hear that full story).
Racehorses are made and trained to run and are well able to demonstrate their loss of interest in same. That Kauto Star retains his so gloriously is to the betterment of racing and a joy to all its fans.
The will be more big days out and renewed rivalries for Long Run and Kauto Star. What a prospect. What a Star.
