The Kauto Star v's Denman Gold Cup battle
The Cheltenham festival starts this week, with a build up to Friday's much anticipated Gold Cup. According to the bookies there are only two horses that can win it - Kauto Star and his stable mate Denman. So what is it about these two Nicholl's trained horses that make them so special that they are out right favourites for one of the biggest races of the year?
Cheltenham Gold Cup favourites profiles
Denman
Denman was born in 2000 at Colman O'Flynn's stud in Ireland. For an early age it was clear that this mighty horse had bags of potential and got his first competitive ride in 2005. Champion jockey Adrian Maguire rode him at Liscarroll to an emphatic 12 length victory in his debut race, setting a winning trend early on. This attracted the attention of Denman's now owner Paul Barber, who invited professional punter Harry Findlay to invest in with him in the exciting young horse. Denman was then sent to Paul Nicholl's to be trained at his Somerset stables.
Nicholl's set about preparing Denman for the Royal Sun Alliance at Cheltenham, but after a injury hit season in 2006 he was given the summer off to prepare for an all out attack on the 2007 racing calendar. Victories at Exeter, Cheltenham and Newbury put Denman in a good position to go into Cheltenham festival 2007 and take the Sun Alliance Chase, which he did in some style. If 2007 was a great season for Denman, then 2008 was sublime with victory in the Hennessy, winning with top weight and then that victorious run to take the Cheltenham Cold Cup, well ahead of Kauto Star. However, following that emphatic win, Denman has been lightly raced after being diagnosed with a heart problem. He did manage to finish runner up to Kauto Star in the 2009 Chelenham Gold Cup, suprising many, including train Paul Nicholls.
Strengths: A big brut of a horse, who has incredible stamina, often leaving horses in his wake. A solid jumper and is rarely in danger of falling over hurdles.
Weaknesses: After being diagnosed with a fibrillating heart problem, Denman has not looked the horse he once was. At 10 years-old he is coming towards the twilight of his racing life.
Bet on Denman for the Gold Cup and get a free £25 bet with Paddy Power
Kauto Star
Kauto Star was also born in 2000 at Henri Albert's stud in France. His racing bloodline suggested a successful future ahead. After finishing second in his debut race on the flat in Bordeaux and then going on to win by 8 lengths in a grade 3 at Auteuil in 2004 he caught the attention of several bloodstock agents, ready to invest in potential champion. It was property developer Clive Smith who paid the hefty sum of 400,000 Euros (270k) to buy this potential super star of racing and he was sent straight to the Paul Nicholl's training stables in Somerset to fine tune his raw talent.
After a long spell with injury during 2005, Kauto Star was lacked racing experience and his chances of making it were fading slightly. With only 5 races under his belt in 2 years it was time for Clive Smith and Paul Nicholl's to come up with a more aggressive racing strategy for this potential Champion. So they went after the Betfair Million pound prize for winning the Betfair Chase, King George and Gold Cup in 2007. Kauto Star won all three races in emphatic style, capping it off with the win at Cheltenham. After an indifferent 2007-2008 season, Kauto was still favourite to take the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March 2008, but was outclassed by stablemate Denman. However, Kauto Star got his revenge by winning in emphatic style in 2009 by over 6 lengths.
Strengths: Pace to burn, with the ability to blow the competition with a turn of pace that most can't keep up with.
Weaknesses: Kuato Star tends to be a bit shy of fences, which has cost him victories in the past. Kuato Star is getting to the latter stages of his racing career.
Bet on Kauto Star for the Gold Cup and get a free £25 bet with Paddy Power
Cheltenham Racing Festival 2010:
Cheltenham Gold Cup Tips
Cheltenham Gold Cup Free Bets
Cheltenham Gold Cup Runners
Cheltenham Gold Cup Trends
Cheltenham Gold Cup Winners
Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds
Cheltenham Gold Cup Denman v Kuato Star