Questions remain despite runaway success

By Alan Conway

In the end there was no fairytale success for Kauto Star. His bid for a fifth straight King George was derailed by the new kid on the block in the shape of Long Run who silenced many doubters with an empathic victory. In the grand scheme of things the race left us with more questions than answers.

Firstly let’s deal with the winner. The manner of victory was most impressive. Long Run travelled strongly throughout the race, jumped efficiently and quickened up well. This was his second impressive win at Kempton which will now lead to people labelling him a flat track specialist as his two defeats on British soil have come at Cheltenham.

It may be unfair to pigeon-hole Long Run this quickly. His defeat in the RSA at the festival came at the end of a long season, which included a campaign in France before he came to England. In the Paddy Power, even though he ran respectably everything seemed to happen a stride too quickly for him. Running over three miles allows him to go that half a stride slower and get into a more natural rhythm. He was allowed to get into that rhythm in the King George and it showed how effective he could be.

He is now clear second favourite for the Gold Cup behind the defending champion Imperial Commander. His chance at Cheltenham depends on a number of factors. He will have to settle as well as he did at Kempton. The Gold Cup is like no other with a premium on travelling strongly and jumping quickly and effectively. If he doesn’t settle or jump his class will only take him so far.

Also despite his undoubted talent he does have to prove that he can handle a track like Cheltenham. His trainer Nicky Henderson believes that the flat track theory is not an issue. But until Long Run goes and proves people wrong it will remain a factor. The other main protagonists are proven at the track. For me his current price of 6/1 is just about right. He may win but for me there are a few doubts surrounding him that you cannot have in a Gold Cup.

The other talking point to come out of the King George was the future of Kauto Star. I feel that talk of retirement is slightly foolish. As Ruby Walsh pointed out every horse can have an off day. Kauto ran a highly respectable race and would have finished a good second had he not clouted the second last.

I think Kauto ran a better race than people think. He was being kidded and cajoled by Tony McCoy turning into the back straight yet he hung onto the coat tails of Long Run until the second last. For a horse that bled afterwards and was also found to have a low grade infection it was a huge run given the circumstances. He may not quite be the force of old but at 10/1 he surely is the each-way steal of the festival if he turns up.

By Alan Conway