Blimey !!!!
Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 2:59 pm
When It was announced that Kauto Star would run the Betfair Chase, I thought It was madness as he enters Into his 12th year.
There was much talk of his retirement and I believed he should bow out gracefully.
I was absolutely convinced that kauto could not beat Long Run and neither did the bookies, backing Long run down to 4/6.
There were only 6 runners but It was the quality of 5 of them that made the dream of Kauto claiming his 4th Betfair Chase almost Impossible at his age.
Long Run, younger by 6 years out-ran Kauto In March on the steep run In the Cheltenham Gold Cup. I was convinced that Long Run would win easily today given the flat track of Haydock.
When It was confirmed that Ruy Walsh would ride Kauto today and remembering that Kauto knows the Haydock track well, I did believe he could come a respectable 2nd.without the steep climb to the line on which he tired at Cheltenham.
The army of Kauto devotee's were out In force today at Haydock. Kauto was cheered as he entered the paddock and thousands of people wore their Kauto colours and waved their ' I'm 4 Kauto' placards.
However, If there were any doubts In my mind, they were confirmed as Kauto's trainer Paul Nicholls was heard to say to Jockey Ruby Walsh In the parade ring.... 'If he's In trouble, pull him up'....... Also In the paddock was owner Clive Smith taking photographs of Kauto as If he knew this would be the last time kauto would grace a paddock.
Paul Nicholls had said before the race that this would be the decider as to weather Kauto would go straight Into retirement. He stated that If Kauto seemed unInterested or out of his depth, the retirement would be certain.
The army of Kauto fans like myself, didn't really care. We just knew this was every possibiity the last time we would see Kauto on a race-track. and we were there to support him. Still, I think all of us there dared to hope and dared to dream.
Diamond Harry and Long Run looked magnificent In the paddock and Kauto's odds drifted out to 7/1 at one point.
I had already placed my bet.... A reversed forecast of Long Run to beat Kauto but reversed means that It's also Kauto to beat Long Run.
As they went under orders the roar for Kauto was deafening. I was a little perturbed In that Kauto was making the running from the start. Not usually his tactics. Ruby tends to keep Kauto at cruising speeds In Mid field. As the race progressed, I considered that maybe Ruby had changed tactics In the style of Denman who leads from the front and runs the finish out of his rivals. Maybe Ruby was thinking that leading from the front was a better tactic given Kauto's age. Yet, I was convinced that Long Run would challenge around the 3rd last and run the finish out of Kauto as he did In the Gold Cup.
Leading from the front, Kauto jumped magnificently taking lengths out of them with his trademark giant leaps.
It got to the 2nd last hurdle and Kauto was clearly tiring but the roar from thousands of people cheered him on. I was thinking at this stage, ' Any time now Long Run and Diamond Harry are going to challenge and out jump and out-run him.
But we all underestimated the thing that has made Kauto Star the greatest Steeplechaser of our generation, the braveness of a lion and the abilty to find something extra when It matters.
As he ran for the line, he swatted aside The Gold Cup winner and The Hennessy champion storming to victory by 8 lengths.
Haydock Park erupted as people pushed past each other to get to the winners enclosure to hail King Kauto.
Grown men openly cried as did I.
Today, Kauto entered the history books yet again by winning 4 Betfair Chases.
As soon as he had won, Paul Nicholls announced that Kauto would go for a 5th King George In December. With that the bookies hurridly slashed his price from 16/1 to just 4/1
What a day ??? Added to the glory was my phone alerts to announce that Kauto's stable mate Master Minded had also stormed to victory at Ascot. Finished with an unbelievable win for me curtesy of Cappa Bleu later at Haydock at 16/1.
Forget the winnings.... I saw King Kauto regain his crown.
Long Live the King.... King Kauto.
Attached files
There was much talk of his retirement and I believed he should bow out gracefully.
I was absolutely convinced that kauto could not beat Long Run and neither did the bookies, backing Long run down to 4/6.
There were only 6 runners but It was the quality of 5 of them that made the dream of Kauto claiming his 4th Betfair Chase almost Impossible at his age.
Long Run, younger by 6 years out-ran Kauto In March on the steep run In the Cheltenham Gold Cup. I was convinced that Long Run would win easily today given the flat track of Haydock.
When It was confirmed that Ruy Walsh would ride Kauto today and remembering that Kauto knows the Haydock track well, I did believe he could come a respectable 2nd.without the steep climb to the line on which he tired at Cheltenham.
The army of Kauto devotee's were out In force today at Haydock. Kauto was cheered as he entered the paddock and thousands of people wore their Kauto colours and waved their ' I'm 4 Kauto' placards.
However, If there were any doubts In my mind, they were confirmed as Kauto's trainer Paul Nicholls was heard to say to Jockey Ruby Walsh In the parade ring.... 'If he's In trouble, pull him up'....... Also In the paddock was owner Clive Smith taking photographs of Kauto as If he knew this would be the last time kauto would grace a paddock.
Paul Nicholls had said before the race that this would be the decider as to weather Kauto would go straight Into retirement. He stated that If Kauto seemed unInterested or out of his depth, the retirement would be certain.
The army of Kauto fans like myself, didn't really care. We just knew this was every possibiity the last time we would see Kauto on a race-track. and we were there to support him. Still, I think all of us there dared to hope and dared to dream.
Diamond Harry and Long Run looked magnificent In the paddock and Kauto's odds drifted out to 7/1 at one point.
I had already placed my bet.... A reversed forecast of Long Run to beat Kauto but reversed means that It's also Kauto to beat Long Run.
As they went under orders the roar for Kauto was deafening. I was a little perturbed In that Kauto was making the running from the start. Not usually his tactics. Ruby tends to keep Kauto at cruising speeds In Mid field. As the race progressed, I considered that maybe Ruby had changed tactics In the style of Denman who leads from the front and runs the finish out of his rivals. Maybe Ruby was thinking that leading from the front was a better tactic given Kauto's age. Yet, I was convinced that Long Run would challenge around the 3rd last and run the finish out of Kauto as he did In the Gold Cup.
Leading from the front, Kauto jumped magnificently taking lengths out of them with his trademark giant leaps.
It got to the 2nd last hurdle and Kauto was clearly tiring but the roar from thousands of people cheered him on. I was thinking at this stage, ' Any time now Long Run and Diamond Harry are going to challenge and out jump and out-run him.
But we all underestimated the thing that has made Kauto Star the greatest Steeplechaser of our generation, the braveness of a lion and the abilty to find something extra when It matters.
As he ran for the line, he swatted aside The Gold Cup winner and The Hennessy champion storming to victory by 8 lengths.
Haydock Park erupted as people pushed past each other to get to the winners enclosure to hail King Kauto.
Grown men openly cried as did I.
Today, Kauto entered the history books yet again by winning 4 Betfair Chases.
As soon as he had won, Paul Nicholls announced that Kauto would go for a 5th King George In December. With that the bookies hurridly slashed his price from 16/1 to just 4/1
What a day ??? Added to the glory was my phone alerts to announce that Kauto's stable mate Master Minded had also stormed to victory at Ascot. Finished with an unbelievable win for me curtesy of Cappa Bleu later at Haydock at 16/1.
Forget the winnings.... I saw King Kauto regain his crown.
Long Live the King.... King Kauto.
Attached files
