Greatest Threat

[Guest_]

To Kauto Star’s supremacy?

List of possibles…

My Way De Solzen
War Of Attrition*
Kicking King*
Trabolgan*
Denman
Neptune Collonges
Exotic Dancer
Star De Mohaison*
In Compliance
Don’t Push It
Cailin Alainn

* denotes returning (or trying to!) from injury.

I have a sneaky feeling Don’t Push It is ALOT better than we have seen up til now. Not sure that’s good enough to challenge KS but think I might have some fun bets antepost with him for the Gold Cup and King George before the season starts proper. Have I left any possibles out?

[uncle goober]

Foot and Mouth

[Guest_]

Or himself maybe!!!! Bit boring if we stick to that route though!

[Will]

I believe My Way De Solzen will offer the biggest threat to Kauto Star. I cant believe Alan King said in his open day that MWDS might go down the Ryanair route with him for the festival so he can duck Kauto Star if he is beaten by him in the King George. I think its all very well having these extra races such as RyanAir and the new 3mile novice hurdle, but not if they demote the quality of the other race in this case the Gold Cup or the old Sun Alliance Hurdle. We want to see the best horses clash in the same race, not ducking each other, thus I've always been against the idea of promoting the two new races to Grade 1s.

Possibly missed out on Aces Four. The division Im looking forward to next year is tthe 3mile novice chasing division. Also read in the timeform annual, that Wichita Lineman might go chasing!!! Surely timeform has made an error or Jonjo gone bonkers, the stayers is there for the taking next year.

[Harbinger]

Exotic Dancer at Cheltenham if the ground is soft.

[betsmate]

What is line on Well Chief?

[uncle goober]

I like the new races and some dont , its a discussion that has taken place several times before. But who is to decide that the best horses should clash in the old race rather than the new.

I always thought that DENMAN should have run and would have been better suited to the Brit Insurance Hurdle rather than the Sun Alliance Hurdle and would have run in the longer race had he been mine. This would have brought a clash with Black Jack Ketchum. Fascinating to think how BJK's 2006/07 season may have been done differently had he been thumped by Denman in the previous seasons Brit Insurance.

[Irish Stamp]

You missed out Gungadu

Not that he's going to be any threat mind. The way Nicholls assistant was jumping around at the Open meeting last year you'd think SDM could be the one who poses the greatest challenge to KS.

Will they go the Champion Chase route? Surely if Denman proves he's a cut above other 3 milers then Nicholls won't be all too keen on running two or three of his top horses in the one race.

[Will]

Ashley Brook will be interesting if he tackles 3miles.

[uncle goober]

Ashley Brook will be interesting if he tackles 3miles.

Agreed.

[Guest_]

Surely if Denman proves he's a cut above other 3 milers then Nicholls won't be all too keen on running two or three of his top horses in the one race.

It would be terrible if we didnt see them clash at least once.

Aces Four was a bad omission on my part. Agree if I was to stake my life on his biggest danger it would be MWDS but I rate the Jonjo horse as the dark horse.

[Guest_]

Ashley Brook has had his problems and is too hit and miss surely?

[Irish Stamp]

Would agree it would be shocking if they didn't clash at least once but other than the Gold Cup I don't see where or when that could be.

Kauto Star - Tingle Creek
Denman - King George

Kauto Star - Game Spirit/Aon
Denman - Pillar/Aon

Also probably rules out trips to Ireland as they'll likely have Neptune Collonges and possibly Granit Jack (if they send him jumping) for races like the Ericsson as was and the Down Royal race in November etc.

[Melendez]

Fair Along looked to be the one who would benefit most from a step up from 2 miles in the Arkle. Maybe he's just that sort of horse. Did something bad happen to him? I have it in the back of my mind but can't recall.

[trackside528]

I reckon the biggest threat to Kauto Star will be from My Way De Solzen in the King George.. 3 miles around Kempton should be right up his alley and I have a feeling he might just put it up to KS..

I'd imagine Denman will take in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas Martin, with KS (hopefully) lining up in the King George..

[Guest_]

Trainer has stated KS will go the King George route with Denman and Neptune Collonges going for the Irish races.

[Garney]

ashley brook would have been interesting stepping up to 3m two years ago. Afraid his time has passed. If Exotic Dancer improves more than Kauto Star then its him. Otherwise its Denman.

[Irish Stamp]

Would have thought Neptune Collonges would be the obvious one if it came up soft TS.

Either way there's plenty of 2 1/2m+ stars in the Nicholls yard

[Guest_]

It will be interesting to see how he shuffles his cards alright...trying to keep all the owners happy...nice problem to have though!

[clivex]

It is ironic that when a great chaser like Kauto comes through, there are possibly some of the best challengers around for some years

MWDS is definately my idea of a serious threat, but Kauto is extraordinary

Whats hapened to Trabolgan?