Wishing upon a Star

By Alan Conway

It is said that good things come to those who wait. For racing fans this Saturday the wait will be over and history could be made. The chance for the biggest equine star racing today to ink his name forever in the history books is close. This Saturday Kauto Star will boldly go where no horse has gone before and try to win an unprecedented fifth King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

It has been a long road for Kauto Star since he captured his first King George in 2006. He would win that season’s Gold Cup, lose it a year later to Denman, then regain it once again. The one constant that remained was that each St Stephen’s Day Kauto Star would turn up to the King George and win. He has produced some of his career best performances in the race and he needs one more to cement his place in racing folklore.

You have to wonder if Clive Smith knew what he was getting when he purchased Kauto Star for €400,000 in 2004. Known as “L’Extraterrestre” in his native France he joined Paul Nicholls at his Ditchet yard with a high reputation. The regard in which the horse was held shows because when he left France his trainer shed tears as he knew he would never have such a horse in his care again.

When he did arrive in England it looked for a while like he could go the wrong way. A couple of niggly injuries hindered his development and his fall in the 2006 Champion Chase capped a frustrating campaign. It would however prove to be the making of Kauto Star.

He stepped up in trip on his next start in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree. He bolted in and his star was on the rise. It would be his next race however that would confirm the talent he possessed. He beat a high class field by 17 lengths at Haydock on his first attempt at three miles. It was such a good performance that Ruby Walsh came back in grinning from ear to ear. That says it all.

We all know how the rest of the campaign and indeed the rest of his career up to this point have gone. He is without doubt up there with the best chasers there have been. At his best he is a breathtaking jumper. One of his unique assets is that he can win at any trip. He has won two Tingle Creeks and up to now four King Georges. It’s an impressive CV.

It won’t be easy for Kauto if he is to make history. Both Long Run and Forpadytheplasterer are big threats along with Riverside Theatre. It will be tough but I think Kauto has more class than them. We all have different wishes at the start of each new year. My one wish is that we see two stars, Kauto Star and Tony McCoy, romp home and create history. The best horse of his generation and the best jockey of his teaming up together for a shot at immortality. It doesn’t get much better than this.

By Alan Conway