That race almost finished me. When Kauto stepped on the gas and Long Run had to be niggled at, I started to believe the King could do it and from that moment on I was full of hope and fear. I have never got like this before with any horse but I suffered a panic attack. All the way to the line I felt I was hanging on to see Kauto win and the moment he passed the winning post in front was, I thought, my last moment on this earth; sheer ecstasy. What a way to go. My family were dead worried and feared I had suffered a heart attack. I'm not sure if I did or not but I thought I was going and I wasn't even scared. I will never forget the joy that horse gave me today. I am praying they don't run him in the Gold Cup. Nothing would please me more than to see him retired now. If anyone thinks I am being dramatic, I can assure you I'm not. My family would confirm it. Anyway, I'm still here so congratulations to all those who had winners today. We have visitors arriving soon so I have to get ready.
Glad your still around Ron... If only to see the King run @ Cheltenham. Make the most of your last 3 months Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to one and all
If he runs at Cheltenham Cats, I will definitely not be watching. Visitors arriving late so back on for a quick catch up.
What a feeling then for you Ron, but i dont think you were alone... I must admit that he did look a tad tired at the last, and i was praying for any sort of jump really, but just clear it...!!! But when you think that the run in is so short i sighed with relief that he jumped it and cheered as much as the crowd did sat infront of the tv... 'History in the making' is the one quote that kept running through my mind when i watched it back again and again and again... I will not ever tire of watching that race. A truly great peice of sporting history and i feel honoured to have watched it... Many thanks to Kauto Star... A 1 in a million of a star... And thank you to Ruby Walsh for delivering such a ride...
I know you mean about a panic attack. I always watch Kauto Star with some tenseness but this was something else. Whatever kind of feeling it was it just rose and rose until I thought 'I'm not sure I can cope with this', partly took my mind off it by punching the air at the end. Credit to Ruby Walsh again for a job extremely well done and a cool head. But this is what boxing day has been all about for me for the last six years - putting the racing on, falling asleep so I have to watch the rest on replay, waking up just before the king george and gripping whatever is to hand until the finish. This rejuvinated Kauto Star is just heartwarming. He seems to know his own way of not making momentum-losing mistakes in his last two races, whereas Long Run's mistakes, which weren't huge and wobbly I didn't think, somehow meant he ran into imaginary walls afterwards. 5 King Georges though, wow. Although the era of some real greats has an air of closing off about it, it couldn't have been a better king george to make us not forget what a hero Kauto really is. Poor Master Minded though. I hope he recovers, racing again or not, may he be back on his feet again.
Ron - the attachment that develops between man and horse is incredible, Kauto has become public property since Haydock, very similar to the way the Nation adopted Dessie over 20 years ago although he enjoyed a far longer period of public (no racing fraternity) adulation. His performance today was as gutsy as I can remember, he jumped every fence incredibly and beat a classy field fairly. I do agree with you that he can't regain another Gold Cup and would prefer him not to line up, given the form he's in retirement is out of the question but he may run into another place, it was just a joy watching the crowd reaction today, that sort of emotion and involvement has to be earned.....
It's always scary watching champions fencing. They have to not only beat their opposition, but the obstacles as well. Coming to the last he had Long Run beaten, but as he approached the fence there was the fear that he could hit the deck. One of the wonderful things about hunt races, is that they take so long to complete, so we get this sort of extended period of utter agony. The build up during the race was breathtaking. Then when Ruby went, all hell broke loose.
He is the best there as ever been, That is it. To be winning a King George at the age of 12 beating the Champion who is 6 years of age is unbelievable. That race yesterday will live long in My memory and what an advertisement for racing... Quite note, I hope Master Minded makes a full recovery weather he will race again Im not sure but hes been a firm favourite of mine and its bad news if he can't but not as bad as not having him around at all...
Can't add anymore to what's been said. It was a wonderful story and race outcome. The injury to Master Minded somewhat tarnished it for me also, a career may be lost but thankfully, it seems, not a life.
Sorry - much as I love KS and DID think he could do it yesterday - he isn't the best there has ever been. While there are still old gits like me around to remind people of what Arkle did, conceding 2 stone to the rest of the field in a grade one handicap and smashing the opposition in gold cups there will only ever be one "best ever" In fact, the mighty Arkle will remain the best ever, because no trainer nowadays would EVER consider putting a top class animal into a handicap giving away so much weight. I'll grant you though that Kauto could well be the second best ever Anyways - I'm not so old I can't enjoy watching these Oz Aerobics that followed the Racing News so byeee for now
I can appreciate that Reebok, I was never around in the days of Arkle and Flyingbolt but in my lifetime there as been only three horses I hold in the highest regard over timber, Dessie, Istabraq and finally Kauto Star who I believe to be the best I've seen. It is an unbelievable achievement for a french bred horse who usually are way past there best at the age of 12 to go and beat a horse as good as Long Run who is 6. This year he looks like the Kauto of old and the likes of Arkle and Dessie weren't mixing it with the best and winning at the age of 12 years. Like Ruby said he as outlasted them all and his CV speaks for itself. 5 King George's, 2 Cheltenham Gold Cups, 4 Betfair Chases, 2 Tingle Creeks amongst the rest. Just a phenomenal horse, And to think he could have been retired at the end of last year... Big Credit should go to the Ditcheat team though and the mastery of Paul Nicholls to keep this horse going for so long and to keep winning the prestigious races is a remarkable job
Dessie won his last race just a few weeks shy of his 12th birthday: http://www.famousracehorses.co.uk/dessie/desform.htm What makes Kauto Star so impressive is that he has been running in Grade 1 races for the vast majority of his career and has won so many at the top level. Of course racing is a different game today and the weight carrying performances of Dessie, and Arkle before that, will likely never be seen again (only Denman has come remotely close in terms of winning big handicaps in recent years). I also believe that he beat a seriously good horse in Long Run yesterday, one 6 years his junior.
Yeah but it wasn't a King George like Kauto Oddy, I have nothing but respect for Dessie so weather it was a Group 2 or a Group 1 he gave Me some great moments in racing but yesterday tops the lot...
I loved Dessie but I was always up at the tele, jumping and cheering him on, sometimes lifting him over the line. And I have been just the same with Kauto. Unfortunately, yesterday I was unable to jump up to cheer him on as I was having a panic attack and was just gasping for breath from about 3 out, I think it was. When he crossed the line I let out the most excruciating scream and burst into uncontrollable crying until I was calmed down by my family, who were a bit scared to say the least. It took about half an hour to recover. I don't know if I had a mild heart attack but they thought I was having a real one. Can you imagine how embarrassing that was. I know I will not subject myself to that again. I guess if I had been on course there would have been a few people pissed off; having to make funeral arrangements over Christmas. I still can't believe that happened. I knew I was attached to the horse but **** me that's ridiculous.
It's an interesting debate for sure, however I honestly believe that the case for 'greatest horse ever' isn't quite as cut and dried as people from a certain era would lead us to believe. If you actually look at their respective achievements, their 'CVs' if you like, and compare their respective accomplishments it's a rather interesting story. If you look at the range of races both horses won, the distance of these races and, perhaps most especially, the period of time both horses were dominating their respective eras I know which one I'd rather have owned...
To get to 6 King George's is some achievement, But to win 5 of the 6 is something I doubt will take another 'Freak' of a horse to accomplish. The official handicapper gave the 11 year old Kauto Star a rating for 181 after that performance yesterday and Long Run a rating of 180. This is the first time in history that the first two home have been given a rating of 180 or more making it one of the most competitive King George's of all time. To Me that says it all... Its hard to forget what Arkle did in his career, Beating Gold Cup winners given them lumps of weight. But I think it can be argued that racing in the modern day is more competitive than back in the days of Arkle. Its an intresting debate and Im sure many will still hold Arkle as the 'Benchmark' but if Kauto Star was to win the Gold Cup for a third time in March I think its safe to say that he is the best there as ever been with a CV I doubt will ever ever be beaten...
It's a fascinating subject, that's for sure, and of course, although there were ratings back in the sixties, they weren't "official" just Timeforms opinions. Interestingly enough - and it proves that what goes around comes around - I was a callow youth in Arkle's era, but worked with men who had seen Golden Miller and swore that "the Miller" was the best ever! There wasn't the internet back then so I could never go back to see what the Miller beat and how and by how much - so just like today - an unprovable debate then!
For me Ruby summed it up when he said that for Kauto to have stayed as good as he is for as long as he has makes him the best ever, though I would definitely put Dessies achievements on a par given his durability and versatility. The old Arkle debate will rage on but as others have said he saw a racecourse 26 times before injury ended his career - I accept medicine, training methods etc have all improved since the 60s but to be winning G1s at 11/12 is an astonishing achievement especially when you've been doing it for 6/7 years so I will never be a 'knocker' I prefer to celebrate the achievements of a great (even if I suffered financial loss !) . The 'best ever' debate can never be answered; if you asked me who I thought the best horse ever was I could easily answer Monsignor though of course his ridiculous talent was never really fulfilled. If you asked me who the best ever 2m chaser was I'd probably say Moscow Flyer but he could never have won a pair of Gold Cups or a handful of King Georges, so the fact Kauto has Tingle Creeks to his name is exceptional. Celebrate and enjoy, it will be a very long time before any of us witness a talent like Kautos again....
The handicapping argument is a bit of a myth because, depending on the build of a horse you could well find that a horse carrying 10 stone may not be able to run much/any faster or further than it could with 11 stone on its back. Similarly whatever a horse can achieve with 11 stone on its back it may well be possible to perform similarly with another stone on its back. Obviously weight does make a difference but not necessarily to the extent used by the form book. The effect of weight can vary significantly depending on the build of the horse. To inflate a horse's rating solely on the basis of how much extra weight it carried against inferior opposition is, to my mind, nonsensical. But that's just my opinion.
