Kauto Star

[EC1]

I would like to start a thread to remeber this horse at his best..to remove that image i just watched.

We have so many memories..plenty to talk about to celebrate this great horse.

[Flagship uberalles]

I remember watching the 2009 Gold Cup in the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds where I was playing in a snooker tournament.

The only bet I can remember having was Neptune Collonges to place - I didn't dare back Kauto as I didn't want to scud him but was convinced he was absolutely bomb proof.

I spent the last four furlongs roaring myself hoarse at Kauto. A guy came up to me and asked "How much did you win?". When I told him I hadn't won a penny, he clearly thought I was out on day release

I feel sorry for people who don't get horse racing - the spectacles that Kauto and Denman have given us over the last 5 or 6 years have been the highlights of the entire time I have spent watching racing (25 years since I was 5 years old).

Kauto is quite simply the greatest National Hunt horse in my lifetime and I wish him a long and happy retirement.

[EC1]

sorry about this for Chapman haters..good video though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x43xv4Kezig

[swedish chef]

Kautos first Chase (Exeter I think) he fell early and was remounted. He was over a furlong behind and got up to be beaten in a photo, you just knew a star was born that day. The rest is history as they say,

Edited to make it factual - just looked this up and about the only thing I got right was Exeter - it was his second chase and he tracked leader, led on bit approaching 4 out, 12 lengths clear and cantering, when fell 2 out, re-mounted, hit last, ran on well and beaten a shd.

Either way it was a brilliant effort - never to be repeated on these shores.

[EC1]

might as well put up a classic

2009 KG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh0BKgmx0VM

[granger]

from twitter

Paul Nicholls
Kauto Star fine. Out to grass with his pal Denman next week.

[Bar the Bull]

I was at Punchestown the same day as his first Betfair chase triumph. I remember legging it in to watch the race on the screen just after Vic Venturi got mugged in a novice chase.

He beat an on-form Beef or Salmon around 20l, on a flat galloping track with a bit of cut. It was his first attempt at over 3m, and from that day I believed this was the best staying chaser of my race-watching lifetime.

I loved the way he travelled in the final 4f of races. He could really turn on the taps, and maintain his savage jumping. I believe that most of his mistakes in his heyday were caused by him relaxing and looking around.

He is in my top 5 horses ever, along with Florida Pearl, Limestone Lad, Istabraq and Giant's Causeway.

Actually top 6, forgot Beefie.....

[On The Bridle]

I was at Punchestown the same day as his first Betfair chase triumph. I remember legging it in to watch the race on the screen just after Vic Venturi got mugged in a novice chase.

He beat an on-form Beef or Salmon around 20l, on a flat galloping track with a bit of cut. It was his first attempt at over 3m, and from that day I believed this was the best staying chaser of my race-watching lifetime.

I loved the way he travelled in the final 4f of races. He could really turn on the taps, and maintain his savage jumping. I believe that most of his mistakes in his heyday were caused by him relaxing and looking around.

He is in my top 5 horses ever, along with Florida Pearl, Limestone Lad, Istabraq and Giant's Causeway.

Perfect top 5 although I would swap Limestone Lad with Moscow Flyer. Never really took to his connections especially after the objection at Cheltenham.

[EC1]

top 5 fav jumps horses for me..only in my interest in racing lifetime that is

NIGHT NURSE
SEA PIGEON
DESERT ORCHID
KAUTO STAR
MAKE A STAND

[SteveM]

A lovely horse... certainly in the top handful of chasers that I know about.

[SteveM]

top 5 fav jumps horses for me..only in my interest in racing lifetime that is

NIGHT NURSE
SEA PIGEON
DESERT ORCHID
KAUTO STAR
MAKE A STAND

Night Nurse and Kauto would both be on my list too. Arkle would head it. Denman, Baracouda, Moscow Flyer... one or two others.

[Miss Nero]

Kauto will do for me as the best chaser of my lifetime. His consistency has been remarkable, and his versatility made him my favourite. Graded chase wins at Aintree, Cheltenham, Newbury, Haydock, Ascot, Sandown, Kempton and Down Royal, over distances from 2m to 3m2f.

Great that he's stayed sound to run in five consecutive King Georges and Gold Cups.

[Cantoris]

I was on the rails today and he was beaten passing me. Ruby was jut at him and they weren't going fast. As he came home, he was applauded by those in the stands and received applause all the way from the track to the parade ring. When he past me, Nicholls said to Ruby "we didn't expect THAT", so he must have been in good form beforehand. Age catches up with the best of them. Just look at Brave Inca. One day he wins the Irish Champion when things go right, at a decent age, and then runs down the field twice on better ground. I think Kauto is the same. Just one race too many. Some career though.

[Ardross]

Simply the best chaser I have ever seen much as I loved Desert Orchid and Best Mate .

I feel privileged to have been there to see his GC wins and his valiant efforts in defeat most of all this March and two of his KG wins - his 2009 KG performance surely the greatest by a chaser since 1966 .

[krizon]

A true sporting crowd there, Cantoris - Ruby seemed to crack a joke with some security guys on the way back in, and I could see people clapping. The camera lingered on KAUTO's face for some time, possibly to see if he'd bled at all (couldn't see any sign of that), but in all honesty, the horse looked quite happy and bright.

[chroniclandlord]

He got a really great reception from the stands, a true champion.

[redhead]

I was on the rails today and he was beaten passing me. Ruby was jut at him and they weren't going fast. As he came home, he was applauded by those in the stands and received applause all the way from the track to the parade ring. When he past me, Nicholls said to Ruby "we didn't expect THAT", so he must have been in good form beforehand. Age catches up with the best of them. Just look at Brave Inca. One day he wins the Irish Champion when things go right, at a decent age, and then runs down the field twice on better ground. I think Kauto is the same. Just one race too many. Some career though.

Didn't Paul Nicholls tell ATR that they had slacked off his work before this race?

Whereas most chasers have a not-so-good second (somtimes third) season, Kauto has only just flattened out. His consistency has been remarkable, particularly as there was speculation earlier in his career about French-breds maturing and deteriorating early.

A seriously classy horse through and through.

[EC1]

300 views but just a few individual replies..on a thread dedicated to one of the greatest chasers of the last 40 years

how many replies if he had been Irish trained I wonder?

oh deary me

[Hamm]

Starting a thread because you're upset an 11yo didn't run well in a race in May has got a lot more responses than it deserved.

Pack in the pathetic comments about Irish horses..

[Colin Phillips]

Here we go again!