Nicholls’ wish upon Kauto Star pays off with Betfair Chase win

PAUL Nicholls has held firm while many have called for the retirement of Kauto Star and the old warrior repaid his faith with an emotional victory at Haydock.

Nicholls has insisted throughout that the dual Gold Cup winner was still showing a healthy appetite for the game and Kauto Star proved that to be true with an all-the-way verdict in the Betfair Chase on Saturday.

Despite running creditably when third in the Gold Cup in March, Kauto Star had been pulled up for the first time in his career subsequently at Punchestown, and was allowed to go off at an unheard of 6-1 behind Nicky Henderson’s 6-5 favourite Long Run.

Employing positive tactics from the outset, Ruby Walsh got some magnificent leaps out of Kauto Star who put in a performance to rank alongside some of the very best in his long and stellar career.

Long Run’s old Achilles heel of occasionally sloppy jumping returned on the final circuit, but he stayed on to be the nearest challenger ahead of Charlie Hall Chase winner Weird Al and fourth-placed Diamond Harry.

After Kauto Star’s 15th Grade One win, a rousing reception awaited the hero and connections – including owner Clive Smith – in the winner’s enclosure. “That’s the best day I’ve ever had. It’s just amazing,” said Nicholls.

“We’d left no stone un-turned; I’d got him as fit as he ever had been. We’d always thought about trying to make the running, but hadn’t told anyone for obvious reasons, and it all went to plan. Today was his Gold Cup.”

Paddy Power make Long Run their 6-4 favourite for next month’s King George at Kempton, with Kauto Star a 4-1 chance and his stable mate Master Minded – winner of the Amlin Chase at Ascot – at 5-1.

Nicholls said: “To beat a Gold Cup winner at his age is amazing. I’ll never forget today. If things had gone wrong my neck was on the line, but I had a feeling he’d run a massive race.

“I don’t feel relieved; I just feel very proud. I was proud of him after the Gold Cup, but more so today.”

Elsewhere on a quality card, it transpired betfair.com/paulnicholls Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle winner Dynaste could shake up the novice chase division after a demolition job in one of the season’s most competitive handicaps over the smaller obstacles.

Henderson’s Grandouet could, meanwhile, be a live Champion Hurdle outsider after his effortless victory in the Betfair Hurdle.

Nicholls and Smith also enjoyed Ascot success as Master Minded made amends for a lacklustre seasonal bow with victory in the Amlin 1965 Chase.

He finished just over three lengths in front of fellow 2-1 joint-favourite Somersby, rather than the 16 he pulled clear of I’msingingtheblues over the same race 12 months ago, but it was fairly commanding nonetheless.

Nicholls’ assistant trainer Dan Skelton said: “He has improved massively since his last run, which he probably needed far more than anyone realised. He settled straight away, which is good because he is going to have to settle quickly if he is going to stay three miles.”

There was a dramatic conclusion to the Coral Hurdle when a final-flight fall from Oscar Whisky allowed Overturn to come home at his leisure.

It is for good reason Donald McCain’s Overturn (5-2) is one of the most popular horses on the circuit as he makes the running over all sorts of disciplines, whether winning the Chester Cup or Galway Plate, and connections face a conundrum as to where to send him now.

Oscar Whisky, the 5-6 favourite and last season’s Champion Hurdle third, was alongside Overturn but met the last obstacle all wrong when asked for a big jump by Barry Geraghty.

Jockey Jason Maguire, who only returned from injury this week, said: “He’s done it the hard way all the time on the flat and over jumps. Whenever a horse comes to him he picks up again.”