Kauto Star returns to training with Paul Nicholls and could yet run again... While the Flat racing world awaits a decision on where and when the world's best Flat horse, Frankel, will have his last run, the National Hunt world awaits a similar decision on its most popular chaser, Kauto Star. As yet there is no indication whether he will run once, twice or whether he has actually run his last race. The popular 12-year-old jumper has returned to training with Paul Nicholls at the same time that his old stable companion, Denman, left to begin his post-racing life as a team chaser. Having been out in a field all summer it was back to the five-star treatment for Kauto Star; a new set of shoes, a wash and back on with a rug. Much like his counterpart Sir Henry Cecil, Nicholls will wait intuitively for the horse to tell him what to do. "There is no plan as yet," he explained. "We're in almost the same position as we were this time last year although in a way we are in a much better situation this time because Kauto hasn't been in a bit of a dip for a year â he's come in as the highest- rated chaser in training. We'll start riding him, see how he is, but firstly make sure he's fine." He added: "He and Denman have done really well out at grass despite the weather this summer but they were both starting to look like they wanted to come in. They like their creature comforts and don't like getting soaked the whole time." One of the features of the last jump season was the two-time Gold Cup winner's return to form in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and the rousing reception when he landed a fifth King George VI Chase at Kempton, eclipsing Desert Orchid's race record. A heavy fall schooling three weeks before Cheltenham put his participation in the Gold Cup in doubt and the build-up to the meeting centred on the daily bulletins from Ditcheat on his progress and whether he would make the race. He did run but, clearly still affected by his training fall, he was pulled up by Ruby Walsh before the 10th fence... Just copied this from the Daily Telegraph... Realistically Kauto Star should be retired as the anticipation of his last run at Cheltenham nearly did us all in with the lead up to the race.The fall became headline news and it all lead up to a fever come race day. To see Ruby pull him up was as much a god send as it was so sad to see... Kauto Star is fit and well, and long may that last...!!! What do you think...?
I'd love to see the horse triumph again Red, but I can't help but feel a little sad that they are thinking about another campaign.
My vote would be to deffo retire the old boy. Furthermore, I don’t think he’d be able to obtain ‘King George VI’ number VI as Mr Henderson, at this stage, looks almost unbeatable in that heat. Cor blimey his hand is amazingly strong as he’s got Long Run, Riverside Theatre, Bob’s Worth, Finian’s Rainbow and Burton Port all as possibles.
cyc - your right mate, to see Kauto Star run again would be great to see but its just a no go for me. The fall, the way he ran in the Gold Cup suggests he has had his time now... SBC - As you have pointed out Mr Henderson, your personnel favourite, has a strong hand in that department and a returning Kauto Star would be under more pressure than he has faced for a while now... I don't think he will race again, just leave him at legendary status, at the top...
I think they've got to give him a chance back in training to see if any of the old sparkle is left. Look how many people were calling for his retirement this time last year, and look at what he went on to do. In the majority of cases, connections know best. It may be that he needs the activity of a training yard to keep him sane, in which case a role at home as a lead horse for the youngsters would be ideal. I've often mused that one thing we lack in this country is a centre for famous retired racehorses. In the US they have the Kentucky Horse Park and Old Friends, which both have a large number of famous names in residence. Should I win the EuroMillions at any stage, it is my aim to set such a centre up in the UK!
All I hope is that Nicholls does right by the horse and doesnt chase dreams for the desperate sake of it. Kauto has nothing left to prove. He has been in such hard races at the highest level and the only CV booster would be a third Gold Cup. He has little chance of that, surely? If he genuinely looks like an amazing chaser in training then I would understand but he has already defied his years once.
My take would be if the old 'sparkle' is there, then why not?! If they did he would be aimed at a 6th KG, taking in the BF Chase, but with Cheltenham ruled out! My gut feeling is though, he'll be retired.
If he still has the appetite for it then why stop now. Even if he's not the spring chicken he once he won 2G1s last season. If he's enjoying it and still working with the best in PNs yard then I'd love to see him go for it. Plenty of new challengers in the 3m division but they've all got to prove themselves against what's already there.
I can see why many are calling for Kauto to be retired but personally i feel it would be an insult to the horse if they didnt give him chance to prove his worth yet again. Fair enough, if he doesnt show sparkle, or indeed does and then fails on the racecourse, that isnt going to detract from his legendary status. If anything, they owe it to Kauto to give him the chance.
I will refrain from ranting on this one but briefly... If the horse can win at the top level then they would be insane beyond imagination to retire him. How epic would another King George be, another Betfair Chase? Only connections will know what he is still capable of so leave them to make the call. Statements like 'he should be retired' etc. do nobody any favours. I'd kill to see him race again. And relax.
Getting ahead of myself again. It would be a travesty if he were capable of winning again and further enhancing his legacy and was not given the opportunity to do so. A travesty for the horse and the sport.
If you take away his Gold Cup run then Kauto's performances last year were a destructive 10l win in the Betfair Chase and a record breaking 5th King George victory. None of us have any idea exactly how bad his fall on the gallops really was and how that affected him during the Gold Cup, but his other two performances were sensational, retiring a horse who just 8 months ago had the ability to put in displays like those two is madness. Kauto will be a far happier horse in training than he will parked in a field eating grass, he is also arguably still one of the best staying chasers in training and so long as connections avoid a crack at Cheltenham once again, a track he clearly dislikes, there's no reason why he can't run respectively and possibly win another Betfair or King George, or how about a Bet365 chase attempt where he's likely to get his preferred decent ground ? Retiring the horse now makes no sense to me...
I think a number of last years staying chasers were poor and/or underperformed, I'm not convinced a horse can compete at the top at 13 years of age though Kauto has been looked after and only has 31 starts to his name so maybe stats/trends can be dismissed for a horse so talented ?
Latest on Kauto - looks like PN is winning the fight with Clive Smith..... Kauto not out of King George frame (UKPA) – 23 hours ago Kauto Star could have another run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, should the superstar gelding stay in training. The 12-year-old was last seen being pulled up in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March, having suffered a fall in training in the lead-up to the blue riband. Trainer Paul Nicholls and owner Clive Smith have been keen to defer any decision about retirement until after the summer, and that remains the case after the five-times King George and dual Gold Cup winner paraded at the annual owners' day at his Ditcheat base. Smith told the Daily Mail: "The idea is to see where we are in a month to six weeks. Clifford Baker (Nicholls' head lad) rides him every day - if anybody is going to know it is him." Nicholls said: "We will give him a month's work and then Clive and I will have a chat. There is only one possible race he can run in and that is the King George. He would not be ready for the Betfair Chase (at Haydock on November 24)." Kauto Star has won 16 Grade One races to date during a magnificent career. Although he became the first horse to reclaim the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in 2009, having firstly taken the holy grail of jumps racing in 2007, the esteemed chaser will also be fondly remembered for his startling five Kempton victories. He made history in December 2009 when becoming the first horse to win four consecutive renewals of the King George, but even better was to come last season. Many believed retirement beckoned when he was pulled up in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup in May, but Kauto Star stunned the doubters with a fourth triumph on his comeback in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, in which he defeated Long Run, the 2011 Gold Cup hero, by eight lengths. Nicholls and Smith then sent him back to Kempton for the King George at Christmas, when he produced arguably his greatest performance with an easy length-and-a-quarter defeat of old rival Long Run. However, Kauto Star's preparations for the 2012 Gold Cup suffered a major blow in late February after Nicholls revealed he had taken "a pretty awful fall" during a schooling session. Connections eventually give him the go-ahead to compete in the race, but Ruby Walsh's partner was pulled up with a circuit remaining. Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
I think you are kind of right there, but i just fear we may have a very sad ending story if he is to continue much longer- I would say see how the King George is and how he works up to it and go from there!
