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Kauto Star v Denman - The Decider!13th March 2010
Kauto Star and Denman are set to meet each other for a third time in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup next Friday, March 19.
Currently the score stands at one all between the two Paul Nicholls-trained superstars, with Denman having got the better of his stablemate in the 2008 renewal of The Festival's feature, only for Kauto Star to reverse the placings last year and become the first horse to regain chasing's Blue Riband, having recorded his initial totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup success in 2007.
Clive Smith, owner of Kauto Star and Harry Findlay, part-owner of Denman, were present at a totesport-organised press event in London on Thursday and gave their thoughts ahead of Friday's contest.
Clive Smith said "Kauto Star is sparkling at the moment on the gallops and Paul (Nicholls) and Clifford Baker couldn't be more pleased. I've as much respect for Denman as anybody and believe the mishap at Newbury is in the past, he will better for that race and Paul will have him spot on for Friday so we've got some serious opposition on the day.
"I've got great admiration for Tony McCoy, as anybody would, and he won the Cathcart for me on Royal Auclair. I think Tony will ride Denman brilliantly on the day so he's going to be a formidable opponent.
"I've been asked several times what it feels like to watch Kauto Star and it is the first couple of fences that are the worry, once he gets over those he's fine and then he strides away and jumps very impressively. He's done that every time at Kempton Park.
"Obviously there's always race riding to think about, it's like the rub of the green at golf, so I never could say I'm not worried but I have a lot of confidence in Kauto Star.
"I think Denman was terrific in 2008 and the only possible thing you could mention was how close Neptune Collonges was to Kauto Star that time. Kauto Star should have beaten Neptune Collonges by 10-12 lengths and he just beat him by a short-head. That's the only reason you could think Kauto wasn't up to his best then.
"He'd had the injury at Ascot that year when he had pus in his foot and he'd been up that night and maybe that had some effect. He had a couple of days off the gallops but that would have happened anyway after a race.
"Just because I appear relaxed doesn't mean I'm not excited. When I've thought about it, I think that it was only after the race I realised how thrilled and uptight and excited I really was. It was only when I relaxed afterwards that I realised.
"Any owner worth his salt likes to have a bet on his own horse. I use Betfair, which I think is fantastic. I thought 7/4 was a fantastic price last year but 8/11 is a bit tight this time. I just dribble a bit of money on in the months leading up and then I might have a big bet on the day.
"I just want the horse to win it for himself and be rated as highly as he can. He's up there with the best and has great qualities that certain horses didn't have. He's won at two miles and got great speed. He's very brave as I suppose all champions are.
"We'll see at the end of the career where he stands but he has to be close to the best. He's got certain qualities that Arkle didn't have, his speed and the fact that he won at two miles. But they are like golfers; it's very difficult to compare champions from different generations.
"I saw Arkle race many times at the races. He was terrific and I was full of admiration for him but I think Kauto is close to him now.
"One of the great things in the last couple of years is that Ruby (Walsh) has worked Kauto to the nth degree and got better and better on him. I think that's brought two to three lengths improvement in him."
Harry Findlay said: "The year Denman won, there was no great pace there in the early stages and he just stepped it and stepped it up and that's what won us the race.
"He's a Jack the lad. On Thursday morning, when he was schooling with Tony McCoy everything else went where they should but not him. He shirked and cajoled but that's just him.
"Paul does a great job with all his horses but to have trained Denman all that time and keep him sweet is a fine art because he is a bit of a lad. He takes a bit of looking after.
"I didn't fancy him in the first mile of the Hennessy this season but he loved the latter part of the race. At the last fence he was giving two stone to What A Friend, who did nothing wrong, but Denman gained two lengths. That just doesn't happen.
"Then people say he was beaten when he made his first mistake at Newbury in the AON Chase but he was far from beat.
"We did try the blinkers but they didn't go too well. I hope the Gold Cup gets him in the mood and I have to say I haven't even thought about winning it after what happened to him at Aintree last year.
"But for everyone else I hope he shows up and runs his race at Cheltenham and if he was beaten three lengths by Kauto Star I'd be happy. I'd just be gutted if Denman doesn't show up but he was a nine out of 10 when I saw him on Thursday morning.
"Tony McCoy told me straight after he won his Gold Cup to be careful because he thought that race would have made a big mark on him. Talking to him on Thursday, I half got the impression he still thought that.
"We've also got the ground to worry about this year. At least in 2008 we had nice sticky ground which they called good to soft but was softer than that. This year, if we play into Kauto's hands on this ground, I can only see one result.
"It's lovely to have Carruthers in the race because he can make the running and there are a couple of others as well including maybe Imperial Commander. The only place to go is in the middle of the race to attack.
"I make my living out of my judgement but I've never sat on a racehorse so I don't say too much about jockeys but Tony's a great jockey and I think he'll suit us. I've always been a massive McCoy fan.
"Ruby's just a different style and you can't fail to be astonished how skilful he is, especially when he's schooling at home.
"I stuck up for Sam (Thomas) last season and got him the ride at Aintree, which went against the head.
"But with Sam not being so directly involved with Nicholls this year I always thought Tony would get the call. I left it primarily to the Pauls (Barber and Nicholls), knowing that it was probably going to be McCoy, Sam Thomas or Christian Williams that rode Denman and I wasn't bothered which one. The jockey was never an issue to me. Sam's done it all before and suited Denman well, Christian handled the horse well and is unbeaten on him and McCoy's a legend.
"I think Paul Barber's been sniffing around for McCoy to ride Denman before. Last year Denman had his problems and the year before Tony McCoy had an injury prior to The Festival so I don't think it's the first time they've been in contact.
"Barber's also always been mad for Ruby and I think in the back of his mind always hoped that he'd get off Kauto, but he won't.
"I think Paul (Nicholls) is already talking about Kauto for next year and there has to be a good chance they can meet again. There was always going to be nothing coming through this year, it was a nothing RSA Chase last season, but there are at least three coming through for next year and I'd love to see that as a racing fan.
"There's a few like Long Run and Mikael D'Haguenet that could shake the market up.
"There was plenty of 1.78 Kauto on Wednesday night (on Betfair) and that was a good price. I don't believe in insurance, my house isn't insured, but when you've got a horse that can win £200,000 in prize money and give you a great buzz if it's successful then you can back the other horse. If Kauto's 1.78 next Friday, then I'll be taking that.
"We haven't discussed tactics to any degree yet but will do before the race. Last year's race was a time trial and we knew we couldn't be too aggressive with Denman; it looked like we wouldn't be running him a week before the race.
"Everyone knows Kauto is Nicholls' favourite horse. It annoys Paul Barber a bit but doesn't bother me at all.
"I'm a dog man and I know how I'd feel if I trained dogs who had done what they had done and had them in my kennel. If I was the trainer not the owner then I'd want Kauto Star to win the Gold Cup so I don't blame Paul at all.
"I just think that as a trainer your champion, the best you've had, is very special and I understand that. Even if we beat Kauto Star on Friday it doesn't make us the governor, because it's three and a quarter miles around Cheltenham which I think is slightly in our favour.
"Paul Nicholls thinks I'm completely mad to say that but I think the only chink in Kauto's armour is whether he gets three and a quarter miles round Cheltenham in a true run race. We all talk about winning the Tingle Creek over two miles but he didn't just win it, he won it after four fences. It was all over by the Railway Fences.
"I've also never seen him more impressive in terms of the speed he jumps than at Kempton over Christmas.
"He had five races before he won the Gold Cup but he's only had two races this year. We're going to have to beat the best ever Kauto Star this year. From last year Nicholls has had one job to do and that's to win another Gold Cup. Kauto Star is so fresh and so well that it will take an enormous performance to beat him. I just hope we're in contention two out.
"I never think Kauto gets the respect he deserves and one of the reasons I make a living is that people don't like the champions. If you took away the money I'd made from the likes of Federer, Woods, Kauto, Denman, Eric Bristow and Steve Davis then you'd have a loser.
"I was in Australia when Kauto Star won the King George and 8/11 was a great price. If he'd have got beaten that day then I wouldn't have a pot to piss in now. You do get great value on the champions in this country, there's a percentage of people who love to get them beat and I love those people.
"I've seen all the horses since 1978 onwards and Kauto is the best three-mile plus chaser since then. I'd only have Kauto 5-6lb behind Arkle on what I've seen.
"In 2008 turning in we were going to beat Kauto by 30 lengths until we hit the second last. That race had to leave its mark because as he turned Denman wasn't stopping but then stopped when he hit the second last but won by seven lengths. I think we were 30 seconds away from something really special that day, something obscene. He was on fire that day.
"I'm gutted for the press that we didn't win at Newbury last time and then we'd have had a real match."
DENMAN (IRE) FACTFILE
10 ch g Presenting - Polly Puttens (Pollerton)
Form: 11112/11111/1111/22F-1U Owners: Paul Barber & Margaret Findlay
Trainer: Paul Nicholls Jockey: Paul Nicholls Breeder: Colman O'Flynn
Denman
Born on April 17, 2000, Denman was bred by haulage contractor Colman O'Flynn at his farm close to Fermoy in Co Cork, Ireland, after a liaison between his mare Polly Puttens and the stallion Presenting at the neighbouring Rathbarry Stud. Denman was due to be sold at the 2004 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale but was spun for his wind and immediately afterwards had a hobday operation. He went into training with former jockey Adrian Maguire in Ireland and won his only point-to-point start at Liscarroll on March 20, 2005. Owner Paul Barber and trainer Paul Nicholls were impressed and bought the gelding privately, reportedly for £82,000, and he has never finished out of the first two in 17 completed starts. His debut season in Britain produced four straight wins, scoring in novice hurdles at Wincanton in October and November, 2005, and landing the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Cheltenham in January, 2006, as well as collecting a minor event at Bangor the following month. His only defeat that season came when second in the 2006 Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. His novice chasing career began at Exeter in October, 2006, with an easy victory over 2005 JCB Triumph Hurdle victor Penzance and was followed by a three quarters of a length verdict over Don't Push It in the Jim Brown Memorial Novices' Chase at Cheltenham the following month. Denman comfortably saw off three rivals to land the Grade Two Berkshire Novices' Chase at Newbury in December and returned to the course for a facile success in a three-mile event in February, 2007. He extended his winning sequence to five with an emphatic success at The Festival in the 2007 RSA Chase, slamming Snowy Morning by 10 lengths. Nicknamed 'The Tank', he began the 2007/08 season in December with a foot-perfect display to win the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury under top-weight, ridden by Sam Thomas, and then travelled to Ireland for the Grade One Lexus Chase at Leopardstown later that month, when he proved too good for rivals Mossbank, The Listener and Beef Or Salmon. He returned to Newbury in February, 2008, easily accounting for three rivals in the Grade Two Aon Chase. The 2008 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup was billed as a match between Denman and his stable companion, the reigning champion Kauto Star. Denman was an awesome sight as he took up the running a long way from home and powered clear of his rival for a seven-length success. Denman missed the first half of the 2008/09 season after being treated for a fibrillating heart and made his belated comeback at Kempton on February 17 when - sent off at 8/11 - he trailed in 23 lengths behind Madison Du Berlais. But the chaser is a champion with true courage and he returned to something nearer his best in the 2009 totesport Gold Cup, staying on to take second, 13 lengths behind the brilliant winner, Kauto Star. Denman then went to Aintree for the totesport Bowl but was never travelling on the tight track and took a crashing fall two fences from home. Denman faced a formidable task on his first start of the 2009/10 season as he lined up for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury under top-weight of 11st 12lb. The remarkable gelding repeated the feat of two years earlier with a second triumph in the race as he defeated subsequent Grade One winner What A Friend by three and a half lengths, despite conceding 22lb to that rival. In the AON Chase at Newbury on February 13, Denman was not in the same formidable form. A mistake four out cost him the lead and as he attempted to reassert, the 10-year-old blundered at the next fence, unseating new jockey Tony McCoy. He is after his second totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 19, the fourth and final day of the 2010 Cheltenham Festival.
Race Record: Starts: 19; Wins: 14; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £904,074
KAUTO STAR (FR) FACTFILE
10 b g Village Star (FR) Kauto Relka (FR) (Port Etienne (FR))
Form: 211/1F2353/112/21F/111111/211122/1U111-11 Owner: Clive Smith Breeder: Mme H Aubert
Kauto Star
A Grade Three winner over hurdles at Auteuil when trained in France, Kauto Star has developed into one of the greatest chasers the sport has ever known since arriving at Paul Nicholls' stables in 2004. His six straight wins in the 2006/2007 season included a stunning Grade One four timer that culminated in an impressive totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victory. Last season he became the first horse ever to regain the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and this term he enjoyed another slice of history as the first to win four consecutive renewals of the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day at Kempton Park. He made his British debut at Newbury, in December, 2004, with an emphatic victory over Grade One Irish Champion Hurdle winner Foreman in a novice chase. On his next start, at Exeter in January, 2005, he fell two out with the race at his mercy. After being remounted, he just failed to reel in the winner, but it came to light afterwards that the horse had injured his near hind leg and he was forced to miss the rest of the season. Kauto Star reappeared in November, 2005, turning in a fine comeback effort to chase home Monkerhostin in the Grade Two William Hill Gold Cup Chase at Exeter. He improved on that run to win the Grade One Tingle Creek Trophy Chase over two miles at Sandown the following month. The Grade One Queen Mother Champion Chase at The Festival in March was Kauto Star's next port of call but, after tracking the leaders in the early stages, he took off too early at the third fence and hit the deck.
This year's Gold Cup is being billed as "The Decider" between Kauto Star and Denman