Kauto Star’s Rise to Glory. There are names only spoken in hushed tones. Names whose very mention invokes awe and honor in the eyes of even the most jaded of jump horse connoisseurs. The Secretarian, Phar Lap, Carbine, these were the horses that changed the game and for generations, they remained untouchables. It is now safe to say we can add yet another name to this illustrious list. Kauto Star, once known in the French quarters as “L’Extraterrestre” is our generations champion.
A race horses success is dependent on three elements. There is the horse, there is the jockey and there is the trainer.
Paul Nicholls, a former jump jockey himself, a leading National Hunt trainer standing head and neck above his peers purchased Kauto Star in 2005. He has won over 4 million pounds in prize money and has trained over 1500 winners to date, it’s safe to say Star is in the right hands.
As for the jockey, Kauto is proudly ridden by the reigning Irish National Hunt Jockey Ruby Walsh who by age 18 had won the amateur title twice.
Kauto Star’s first season was met with disappointment. After winning the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park by 1 and a half lengths a fall announced his loss in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. It was not until the following year in the 06-07 season that he finally made his mark. Winning competition upon competition and putting all doubts to bed. His victories are too many to innumerate, they include the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, two time honors at the Tingle Creek Chase, the Old Roan Chase at Aintree to name a few.
He is known to his fans as the White Knuckle Ride, because of the fear and tension he instills in his supporters, fence blunders are a part of his mystic. Yet he consistently manages to rise above the hurtles to give the people no less than what they demand, nothing short of victory.
In 2007 after 5 straight victories he was the 5/4 favorite and after an immaculate round of fences he won the Gold Cup by 2 and a half lengths. This garnered him the British Horse Racing Authorities order of merit, as well as 1 million pounds in bonus money.
In 2008 there was an injury scare, just a few weeks before two of Paul Nicholls Horses were set to go head to head. The White Knuckle Ride v.s. the highly decorated Denman. It was one for the history books. Even though Kauto was the favorite he lost that race. Some say an infection to one of his hind legs was the cause.
In 2009 Kauto came back to win the Gold Cup defeating his rival Denman and he was at that point the only horse to regain a Cheltenham Crown. It was arguably the best performance ever, he won by 13 lengths. Some say he is the greatest of all time.
They say that once every second a star is born. With the meteoric rise of Kauto Star, once known as the otherworldly, we can finally put that myth to rest.
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