Kauto Star

Kauto Star
Sire	Village Star
Dam	Kauto Relka
Damsire	Port Etienne
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	2000
Country	France
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Mrs Henri Aubert
Owner	Clive D. Smith
Trainer	Paul Nicholls
Record	33: 20-7-2
Earnings	₤2,012,654
Major wins
Cheltenham Gold Cup (2007, 2009) King George VI Chase (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) Betfair Chase (2006, 2007, 2009) Tingle Creek Chase (2005, 2006) Old Roan Chase (2006) Aon Chase (2007) Ascot Chase (2008) JNwine.com Champion Chase (2008)
Awards
Timeform rating: 191 Betfair Million (2006/07) National Hunt Order of Merit (2006/07, 2007/08)

Kauto Star (foaled March 19, 2000) is a French-bred National Hunt racehorse, who is currently trained by Paul Nicholls in Somerset, England. He is one of the greatest and most successful National Hunt horses of all time and hold numerous records and achievements in the sport.

In November 2009, Kauto Star and Paul Nicholls starred in a short film to promote Somerset, commissioned by inward investment agency Into Somerset.

Purchase

Kauto Star first came to the attention of Paul Nicholls when he saw a video of him in action at Auteuil. Nicholls was so impressed with what he saw that he sought to arrange a purchase through his bloodstock agent in France, Anthony Bromley. Nicholls arranged an owner in the shape of Clive Smith who was looking to purchase a horse and had recently had a 500,000 guineas offer for another horse (Garde Champetre) outbid by J. P. McManus. He used 400,000 euros to purchase Kauto Star from his French owners.

Early career

After a promising Hurdle career in France where he was known as 'L'Extraterrestre' which translates to 'The Extraterrestrial' meaning 'out of this world' or 'not of this world' which turns out to be quite a fitting testament to Kauto Star's capabilities. Kauto Star made a successful debut in England, winning a Novice Chase at Newbury beating Foreman by 9 lengths. Unfortunately he could only finish runner-up on his next appearance in an extraordinary race at Exeter beaten by Mistral De La Cour by a short head, Kauto Star had cantered into a 12-length lead approaching the second last fence when he fell, his jockey Ruby Walsh was able to re-mount the horse, without his irons they jumped the last and chased the leader down just failing by a nose. Another half stride and he would have got up to win. Sadly he picked up an injury in the race, which ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival and the rest of the season.

2005/06 Season

Kauto Star started the new season with defeat over two miles and a furlong at Exeter to Monkerhostin. He followed this up though with an excellent one and a half length defeat of Ashley Brook in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown, the first of his numerous Grade One successes. This meant that Kauto Star came into the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as the 2/1 Favourite, unfortunately for his supporters the horse fell at only the third fence.

2006/07 Season

Kauto Star came into the new season with high hopes and expectations. He didn't let any one down on his seasonal reappearance destroying Armaturk by 21 lengths in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree. Over the next six weeks Kauto Star confirmed himself as the leading chaser in training, completing the first two legs of the Betfair Million thrashing multiple Grade One winner Beef or Salmon by 17 lengths in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park and then overcoming a final fence blunder to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park by 8 lengths defeating Exotic Dancer. In between these two excellent successes over 3 miles, he was able to show his fantastic versatility by dropping back to 2 miles to win the Tingle Creek Chase for the second year running defeating the 2006/07 season Champion Chaser Voy Por Ustedes by 7 lengths. Kauto Star then had his final prep run before Cheltenham Gold Cup in the Aon Chase at Newbury, another final fence blunder meant Kauto Star had to battle all the way to line to defeat L'Ami by a neck, although he never looked like being passed. These final fence blunders earnt Kauto Star the nickname of the 'White Knuckle Ride' because of the tension he causes his supporters.

The 2007 Gold Cup

After 5 straight victories, Kauto Star then headed into the Cheltenham Gold Cup as a very warm favourite, although some punters were still unconvinced, feeling that Cheltenham's stern fences would find out Kauto Star's jumping. On the day he was sent off as the very short priced 5/4 favourite. Despite the concerns beforehand about Kauto's jumping he put in an immaculate round of fences, tracking the leaders in mid-division, before cruising into the lead before the second last, he then jumped the final fence to the roars of the Cheltenham crowd seeing off old rival Exotic Dancer by 2 and a half lengths to confirm himself the new superstar of National Hunt racing. With victory here Kauto Star won his connections a £1 million bonus, as a result of completing the Betfair Million and was also the winner of the British Horseracing Authority's Jumps Order of Merit.

2007/08 Season

Pre-season excitement

Punters were extremely excited ahead of the 2007/08 season as a fantastic showdown loomed between Kauto Star and another of Paul Nicholls' horses Denman, winner of last season's Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, the top race for novice staying chasers. Nicholls vowed to keep the pair apart for the season, culminating in a mouth watering potential showdown in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

Kauto Star began the current campaign as he had the season before in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree he faced just 3 rivals giving weight away all round, commentators and pundits stated before hand that Kauto Star didn't look right in his coat in the parade ring and his trainer Paul Nicholls stated he wouldn't be surprised if the horse got beat, as he needed the run. Kauto ran very uncharacteristically receiving reminders from Ruby Walsh a long way from home and was beaten a length by Monet's Garden, giving the winner a stone in weight. His trainer proved to be right though as Kauto Star, parterned by Sam Thomas on this occasion as regular jockey Ruby Walsh was out injured with a dislocated shoulder, defended his Betfair Chase crown at Haydock Park, defeating a decent field, led by his old adversary Exotic Dancer who he saw off by half a length. Paul Nicholls then chose to miss this season's Tingle Creek Chase due to its closer proximity to Kauto Star's next target, the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park this season. This proved another astute performance from the horse's trainer as Kauto Star put in what was possibly his finest performance yet, cruising into an easy lead rounding the bend to the home straight, Kauto eased to an 11-length victory over Our Vic.

Injury Scare

The horse's final preparation for the Cheltenham Gold Cup was to be at Ascot in the Ascot Chase over 2 miles 5 furlongs. Kauto Star easily reversed the form on level weights with Aintree conqueror Monet's Garden cruising to an 8-length victory. The real drama came in the hours after the race. In the early evening, Kauto Star's Gold Cup odds began to mysteriously lengthen on the Betting Exchanges, drifting dramatically before Gold Cup betting was suspended by online bookmakers. It was then reported that Kauto Star was believed to have been found lame in the back end and that he was injured and set to miss the Cheltenham Gold Cup. A statement the following day from Paul Nicholls revealed that the vet had examined Kauto that morning and found him to have an infection in one of his hind hoofs, the injury wasn't as serious as first thought and after a couple of days rest the horse would be fit and well, ready to line up at Cheltenham on March 14.

The 2008 Gold Cup

Horse racing fans were eagerly awaiting this season's Gold Cup clash between Kauto Star and his stablemate Denman. Kauto was odds on favourite to retain his crown, although many anticipated an enthralling and very close race. However, he was sent off at 10-11 favourite to retain his crown with Denman drifting on the day to 9-4. The race, though was an entirely different matter with Kauto Star looking off the pace and jumping a little poorly. Denman romped home to win by seven lengths with Kauto Star just battling to second place over Neptune Collonges.

Speculation to Kauto's well being arose after the race but not wanting to take anything away from Denman, the worthy winner. However, Kauto Star did not seem to be the same horse as in any of his previous races. His jumping seemed to have declined and he didn't display any turn-of-foot which Kauto Star is characteristically renowned for, as not many National Hunt horses display a great turn-of-foot as by come the end of the race stamina has normally been fully exerted. But Kauto Star normally manages to accelerate further away from his rivals (as he so brilliantly did in the 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup), leaving speculation as to him still carrying an injury.

Had Kauto Star won the Cheltenham Gold Cup he would have again earned an extra £1million for completion of the Betfair Million having also previously won the Betfair Chase and King George VI Chase earlier in the season.

Final Race of the Season

Kauto Star lost again in what would be his last race of the season, going down by a narrow defeat to Our Vic in the Totesport Bowl at Aintree, however this second placed finish ensured he won the 2008 Order of Merit title, becoming the first horse to win this two seasons in succession. Clive D. Smith put the nature of this defeat down to Kauto's busy and consuming season and also the short time window between the Cheltenham Gold Cup only the month before.

2008/09 Season

After beginning his season winning the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal, Kauto Star unseated stand-in jockey Sam Thomas (Ruby Walsh being out injured with a ruptured spleen) at the final fence in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, which he had won for the previous two years. As he may well not have won the race had he not blundered, some claimed that he was now in decline. He proved such doubters wrong with an impressive third consecutive victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, equalling Wayward Lad's total of wins and now behind only Desert Orchid. There had been a gamble on Kauto before the race, ensuring that he started at odds-on (10-11), whereas it had previously looked likely that, unlike in his previous two wins in the race, he would start at odds against.

The 2009 Gold Cup

Kauto Star then went on to win the 2009 Gold Cup defeating Denman, who had recovered from a defibrillating heart to take his place in the race, and became the first horse to regain his Cheltenham crown after losing it in 2008. Kauto put in a breathtaking performance to win the contest by 13 lengths, a performance Timeform called "arguably the best performance in the race since Arkle" and "ending once and for all any doubt about his place among the greats". After the race, Ruby Walsh, the top jockey at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival was quoted as saying: "He's (Kauto Star) the greatest horse I've ever ridden.". Kauto Star was given an Official Rating of 186 on the back of this Performance.

2009/10 Season

The Betfair Chase

On Saturday 21st November, Kauto Star made it a hat-trick of victories in the Betfair Chase having previously won the race in 2006 and 2007. He won by the narrowest of margins over the Ryanair Chase winner Imperial Commander, who rallied well to answer the callings of Paddy Brennan but to fail only by a nose. However, nothing is to be taken away from Kauto Star in his manner of victory, he won in a gutsy display of stamina and courage on ever decreasing, unfavourable ground and on a course that has proven not to be one of his favourites.

King George VI Chase

Saturday 26th December 2009 proved to be an historic day as Kauto Star went on to win his fourth consecutive King George VI Chase. On doing so he bettered Desert Orchid's record of four victories over five years. The official winning distance was 36 lengths, a new record in the race, breaking Arkle's 44 year old record of 30 lengths. He earnt a Racing Post Rating of 192, the highest ever awarded to a National Hunt horse. He has been given a Timeform rating of 191 which makes him the third greatest chaser of all time (joint with Mill House) and only behind Flyingbolt (210) and Arkle (212).

Future Plans

Kauto Star will now be aimed to run and defend his Cheltenham Gold Cup crown at Cheltenham Racecourse on Friday 19th March, the crown in which regained from 2007 after losing to Denman in 2008. Winning back the 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup made him the first horse to regain jump racing's greatest and most prestigious prize.

All being well with the up and coming 2009-10 season, it was claimed in March 2009 by which manner Kauto Star regained his Cheltenham Gold Cup crown that he could possibly be aimed another three runnings of the feature being 2010, 2011 and 2012. But rumours have emerged that with another full successful season of victories we may see Kauto Star retired and to be remembered in history as simply one of the greats, if not the greatest of all time.

References

• Behind-the-Scenes at Paul Nicholls' stable with Kauto Star
• Kauto Star image gallery

External links

• pedigreequery.com – Kauto Star's pedigree
• racingpost.com – Kauto Star's race record