Kauto Star: a record-breaking horse
Find out about Kauto Star, a legendary jumps racehorse
Name: Kauto Star Sire: Village Star
Record: 23-7-4 Dam: Kauto Relka
Earnings: £2,375,883 *(£3,375,883) Dam’s Sire: Port Etienne I
Trainer: Paul Nicholls Breeder: Mme Henri Aubert
Owner: Clive D Smith (*with bonuses)
Introduction to Kauto Star
Trained by Paul Nicholls and owned by Clive Smith, Kauto Star was one of the most successful steeplechasers ever to grace the racetrack. Foaled in March 2000 in France, Kauto Star won a few races there before moving to Paul Nicholls in November 2004. From here, he won many top-class races, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice, and King George VI Chase a record 5 times. His win in the King George during the 2009/10 season set two records.
First, he was awarded an RPR of 192 after the race, the highest ever given to a National Hunt horse, whilst also breaking Arkle's 44-year-old record of margin of victory (30 lengths) in winning by an astonishing 36 lengths. Piloted mostly by Ruby Walsh (12 time Champion National Hunt jockey in Ireland), he amassed a whopping £2,375,883 in race prize money and a further £1,000,000 in bonuses for the completion of the 2006/07 Triple Crown and for heading the BHA Table of Merit that same season.
He retired in October 2012, with Timeform rating him as the joint-fourth best steeplechase horse in history, surpassed only by Arkle, Flyingbolt, and Sprinter Sacre.
Kauto Star - Legend of National Hunt
Kauto Star’s Pedigree
Rarely talked about in National Hunt Racing, Kauto Star still boasted a useful pedigree. He was out of Village Star, a lightly-raced French horse trained by Andre Fabre. He accumulated £188,845 in earnings and was the winner of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, whilst performing creditably in other Group 3, 2, and 1 events. A short career, but still impressive, he sired several horses, mainly sprinters, but none as impressive as Kauto Star.
Kauto Relka, Kauto Star's Dam, was an unraced filly but was the daughter of Port Etienne I who sired the likes of Grade 1 winner Barton trained by Tim Easterby, and useful jumps horses such as Prince Popof (France), Kadastrof, and Ivoire De Beaulieu. Despite never running herself and only being Dam to 7 horses, she was the Dam of Kauto Stone, Kauto Star’s half-brother, a Grade 1 winner, also trained by Paul Nicholls.
Nowhere near as illustrious in terms of history or statistics as many of the great flat horses like Frankel, but Kauto Star did his talking on the track where it mattered most- and boy was he impressive!
Kauto Star’s Record (since joining Paul Nicholls) –
It’s fair to say, Kauto Star boasts a very impressive record. 16 grade 1 wins, 2 of which were in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and 5 in the King George, alongside the Betfair Chase 4 times and several other top-class races, including in Ireland. From 31 attempts in the UK/IRE, he won 19 of those, placing 7 times and DNF in 5. That means that the only time he finished out of the top 3 in any races in the UK/IRE was when he failed to complete!
Continuing from his novice days right through to the end, Kauto won over numerous distances, varying from 2m right up to 3m 2.5f. He excelled on Good to Soft/Soft going (hence never running on any firmer than Good) but did also win 3 races on Good going during his illustrious career. His favourite track, however, was perhaps Kempton, which was where he won his 5 King George VI Chases and boasts a record of 5 wins and a 3rd from 6 runs.
Other than Ruby Walsh, the only jockeys to win aboard Kauto were Mick Fitzgerald when he piloted him in the 2005 Tingle Creek Trophy Chase, and Sam Thomas, when winning the 2007 Betfair Chase at Haydock. Kauto and Ruby have to be up there as one of the best jockey-horse combinations of all time!
Kauto Star’s Most Impressive Wins
Kauto Star produced some of the most scintillating performances in National Hunt history during his career, so it’s difficult to only pick a couple of his standout performances. For me though, his 2009 Gold Cup and 2009 King George performances sit a fraction above the rest.
He won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2007 but had his title taken away by arch-rival Denman a year later. In 2009 they were back, and Kauto was out for revenge. Piloted again by Ruby Walsh, the race followed a similar pattern; the two horses raced pretty much together, matching strides approaching the business end of the race. Kauto’s jumping this time, though, was considerably better than the previous year, which showed by what he had left in the tank.
Denman battled on gamely as he always did, but approaching the second last, Kauto was pulling away and was soon in the clear. His lead stretched to 13 lengths approaching the line, winning impressively, and silencing his critics. That performance was not only impressive in the way he despatched of his opposition, but also in that he became the first horse to regain the cup after losing it.
And in typical fashion, Kauto Star once again demolished his opposition in the 2009 King George VI Chase. Lining up against the likes of Madison Du Berlais, Albertas Run, Nacarat, and Imperial Commander, it didn’t matter, as he produced one of the most amazing National Hunt performances ever seen!
Again, under Ruby Walsh, Kauto jumped immaculately at nothing more than a steady canter. Under steady headway, he took the lead after the 12th and pulled clear. You’d be mistaken in thinking he’d gone too soon, as he showed all of his class and pulled further ahead, eventually beating the runner-up Madison Du Berlais by as little as 36 lengths! A simply sublime performance from a world-class steeplechaser, running his opposition ragged and returning in dribs and drabs, it earned him an RPR of 192, the highest ever gained by a National Hunt horse.
Truly magnificent in every aspect, he was a class above that day. It is a performance and a horse that will go down in history!
Comments from notable people about Kauto Star
Ruby Walsh, following his tragic passing in 2015 – “He was without a doubt the best chaser I’ve ever ridden, a horse in a lifetime. I’ll never ride one as good as him again. How could you? Just look at his record!”
Anthony Bromley (Bloodstock Agent) – “He’s the best I’ve ever been associated with!”
Clive Smith (Owner) – “He was an absolutely incredible horse with a lot of speed, winning over two miles in Tingle Creeks, then right up to the Gold Cups, which he needed a lot of stamina for. He was so brave, he had everything. He was the complete racehorse."
Paul Nicholls (Trainer) – “I’ve been very lucky to have trained some incredible horses, but I’ve always said he’s once in a lifetime. Even after he was written off, to come back and win his fourth Betfair Chase and a fifth King George said everything about him. He was just an amazing horse.”
Laura Collett (British Equestrian who looked after him following his retirement) – “It’s an honour and a privilege to have been involved with him and had him in the yard.”
Opinion Summary
From the rivalry with Denman to the hugely impressive 36L win in the King George, it’s hard to believe that we will see a steeplechaser with the class of Kauto Star anytime soon. His ability to get his opposition back-pedalling in a split-second with a spectacular turn of foot, and the way he cruised over the fences effortlessly in his prime, are abilities that are hard to come by.
He really was the complete racehorse! There was no greater sight than seeing those luminous yellow and green silks hitting the winning line with other horses toiling in his wake. A bit of a character off the track, but with bundles of ability, the talent he possessed was second to none. An unfortunate end to the life of one of horse racing’s greats, but he leaves behind a legacy that will live on in the minds of every horse racing fan!
Kauto Star’s Race Record
| Date | Race | Position | Race Distance | Winning Distance | Beaten Distance | Going | OR / RPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29-Dec-04 | Western Daily Press Club Novices' Chase (Newbury) | 1st | 2m 2.5f | 9L | Good to Soft | / 152 | |
| 31-Jan-05 | Weatherbys Bank Novices' Chase (Exeter) | 2nd | 2m 1.5f | shd | Soft | / 150 | |
| 01-Nov-05 | William Hill Haldon Gold Cup Chase (Grade 2) (Exeter) | 2nd | 2m 1.5f | 4L | Good to Soft | 149 / 159 | |
| 03-Dec-05 | William Hill Tingle Creek Trophy Chase (Grade 1) (Sandown) | 1st | 1m 7.5f | 1.5L | Soft | 150 / 172 | |
| 15-Mar-06 | Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) (Cheltenham) | F | 2m | Good | 167 / 0 | ||
| 22-Oct-06 | Bonusprint.com Old Roan Chase (Grade 2) (Aintree) | 1st | 2m 4f | 21L | Good | 167 / 176 | |
| 18-Nov-06 | Betfair Chase (Grade 1) (Haydock) | 1st | 2m 7f | 17L | Good to Soft | 173 / 184 | |
| 02-Dec-06 | William Hill Tingle Creek Chase (Grade 1) (Sandown) | 1st | 1m 7.5f | 7L | Soft | 176 / 179 | |
| 26-Dec-06 | Stan James King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (Kempton) | 1st | 3m | 8L | Good to Soft | 173 / 180 | |
| 10-Feb-07 | Aon Chase (Grade 2) (Newbury) | 1st | 2m 7f | nk | Soft | 177 / 162 | |
| 16-Mar-07 | totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (Cheltenham) | 1st | 3m 2.5f | 2.5L | Good to Soft | 176 / 175 | |
| 28-Oct-07 | Bonusprint.com Old Roan Chase (Grade 2) (Aintree) | 2nd | 2m 4f | 1.5L | Good | 179 / 180 | |
| 24-Nov-07 | Betfair Chase (Grade 1) (Haydock) | 1st | 2m 7f | 0.5L | Soft | 179 / 180 | |
| 26-Dec-07 | Stan James King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (Kempton) | 1st | 3m | 11L | Good to Soft | 179 / 184 | |
| 16-Feb-08 | Commercial First Ascot Chase (Grade 1) (Ascot) | 1st | 2m 5f | 8L | Good | 180 / 176 | |
| 14-Mar-08 | totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (Cheltenham) | 2nd | 3m 2.5f | 7L | Good to Soft | 180 / 178 | |
| 03-Apr-08 | totesport Bowl Chase (Grade 2) (Aintree) | 2nd | 3m 1f | nse | Good | 180 / 176 | |
| 01-Nov-08 | JNwine.com Champion Chase (Grade 1) (Down Royal) | 1st | 3m | 11L | Soft | / 162 | |
| 22-Nov-08 | Betfair Chase (Grade 1) (Haydock) | UR | 2m 7f | Good to Soft | 179 / 170 | ||
| 26-Dec-08 | Stan James King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (Kempton) | 1st | 3m | 8L | Good | 175 / 181 | |
| 13-Mar-09 | totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (Cheltenham) | 1st | 3m 2.5f | 13L | Good to Soft | 177 / 185 | |
| 21-Nov-09 | Betfair Chase (Grade 1) (Haydock) | 1st | 2m 7f | nse | Soft | 186 / 177 | |
| 26-Dec-09 | William Hill King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (Kempton) | 1st | 3m | 36L | Good to Soft | 186 / 191 | |
| 19-Mar-10 | totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (Cheltenham) | F | 3m 2f | Good | 193 / | ||
| 06-Nov-10 | JNwine.com Champion Chase (Grade 1) (Down Royal) | 1st | 3m | 4L | Soft | / 169 | |
| 15-Jan-11 | William Hill King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (Kempton) | 3rd | 3m | 19L | Good to Soft | 190 / 170 | |
| 18-Mar-11 | totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (Cheltenham) | 3rd | 3m 2f | 11L | Good | 174 / 172 | |
| 04-May-11 | Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (Punchestown) | PU | 3m 1f | Good | 173 / | ||
| 19-Nov-11 | Betfair Chase (Grade 1) (Haydock) | 1st | 2m 7f | 8L | Good to Soft | 170 / 177 | |
| 26-Dec-11 | William Hill King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (Kempton) | 1st | 3m | 1.25L | Good to Soft | 174 / 182 | |
| 16-Mar-12 | Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (Cheltenham) | PU | 3m 2f | Good | 183 / |
Red = Did not Finish
