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Denman leads glory parade15th March 2008
Hundreds of people turned out to welcome home Paul Nicholls' Cheltenham Gold Cup trio of Denman, Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges today. The first three across the line in the blue riband arrived back in Somerset on Friday night, and after a few hours rest they were once again posing for the cameras before being paraded through the streets of Ditcheat.
People peered out of windows and stood by their opened front doors as Denman led his two stablemates - accompanied by runaway Champion Chase winner Master Minded and Triumph Hurdle victor Celestial Halo.
But it wasn't until champion trainer Nicholls turned his merry band around the bend towards the Manor House Inn shortly after midday that the crowds really came into view.
They lined the road, pavements and even walls as a sea of cameras flashed and flashed again as Nicholls, his assistant Dan Skelton, head lad Clifford Baker and Denman's part-owner Paul Barber triumphantly marched down the road to the centre of the village.
The five stars were walked past the crowds before leaving Denman alone with the masses to pose for photographs and receive countless pats of congratulation.
"This has been a great reception. There are people from the village and stable here and others have come from all over," said Nicholls.
"I always treat myself to a helicopter for Cheltenham and we were back here in the pub by 6.30pm on Friday night. I got to bed about 1.45am but had to be up sharp as five runners were off to Uttoxeter and it is a normal working day. It hasn't sunk in yet and I am looking forward to going home and watching the tapes of not just Friday, but the whole week. We had have a few disappoint, but we had plenty of placed horses and we are now not far away from reaching £3million in prize money."
Now unbeaten in nine starts over fences, Denman claimed the scalp of last year's Gold Cup winner Kauto Star in a match which had been eagerly-anticipated since last year's Cheltenham Festival.
While Kauto Star may run at Aintree next month, Denman is now finished for the season and fans of the pair could have another 12 months to wait until they again do battle.
"I am amazed how well Kauto has come out of the race as sometimes he can be a bit tired," said Nicholls.
"I have not discussed whether he will run again this season with his owner Clive Smith. Clive is down here as well today and it only goes to show he is not only a good winner but a good loser as well. There is the Melling Chase and the Betfair Bowl at Aintree for Kauto and he is still in the Betfred Gold Cup, but we will just have to see.
"The race will hit Denman in the next couple of days, but that won't matter as he isn't going to run again. You could argue that Kauto has beaten the same horses and he is better than them so he beats them every time. He put Exotic Dancer in his place again yesterday and the only horse he hasn't met beat him."
And looking forward to next season, Nicholls continued:"There are so many good races that they don't have to meet. With all the good races to be won we don't want to be giving away opportunities.
"It would be nice to have a rematch though. Kauto was beaten seven lengths, but could turn that around on different ground or a different occasion and he might not have run up to his best.
"It is possible, but highly unlikely, they would meet again before the Gold Cup. Kauto's big target will be the King George which won't suit Denman, while Denman can go for races like the Lexus."
However, a repeat tilt at the Ascot Chase which Kauto Star won en route to Cheltenham is in doubt according to Nicholls:
"It is a Grade One but some of the horses like Twist Magic, Tamarinbleu and Kauto who ran at Ascot haven't gone out and performed after running there. I just wonder, and it is no disrespect to Ascot, if horses have quite hard races there - but I might be doing Ascot an injustice."
The one horse of the trio who will certainly run again this season is third-placed Neptune Collonges who belied his 25/1 starting price to finish right on the heels of Kauto Star:
"Neptune is improving and is only seven. If he improves a few pounds again next year then he might just be rattling them up a bit. He will definitely run again this year and will go to Punchestown again."
Paul Nicholls proudly displays Kauto Star, Denman and Neptune Collonges