NICHOLLS KNEW HIS STAR WAS STILL SHINING

Graham Buddry remembers the indomitable Kauto Star

- Graham Buddry

Very occasionally racing comes across a truly exceptional talent who ignites admiration, adulation and imagination in the whole population. Arkle, Red Rum and Desert Orchid are just three of these equine megastars, but what happens when they are beaten, found to be mortal after all, their racing days waning and over with no way back? Injury or a rare fall usually allows these superheroes to gracefully retire with their reputation intact and their place in the collective hearts of a nation cemented forever.

Occasionally some equine superstars go on too long, a single brave defeat becomes a string of losses in lesser and lesser events until they are fondly remembered as just very good horses whose status was tarnished by going to the well too often but every rule has an exception somewhere and that exception went by the name of Kauto Star.

Already a legend of the turf, Kauto Star had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice, the King George four times, matching Desert Orchid’s record, the Betfair chase three times and the Tingle Creek twice among many other successes. He was loved by all, a true star of the steeplechasing world but now he was in sad decline.

He had fallen in the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup when his chance had realistically gone. At the start of the following season he had won the JNwine Champion Chase at Down Royal for the second time but that seemed to be the last of the glory days.