Horse Racing

Speed Loves Company – Kauto Star To Join Triple Gold Cup Winners?

With the Cheltenham Festival only days away, the tension surrounding the totesport Gold Cup in becoming increasingly unbearable. All eyes, it seems, are on previous Gold Cup winner Kauto Star who is fighting for the honour to join the small circle of triple Gold Cup winners.

In 2007 Kauto Star, teamed with champion jockey Ruby Walsh, won his first Gold Cup with a performance strong enough to start murmurs about a possible repetition of the feat in the racing community. However, in spite of being handled a hot favourite when he returned to the event in 2008, Kauto Star’s winning streak was interrupted by his stable-mate Denman who snatched the victory in a dramatic finish. While this put an unpleasant dent in Kauto Star’s smooth winning record, it also allowed the Nicholls-trained (then) nine-year-old to become the first horse in Gold Cup history to reclaim the blue riband prize when he defeated Denman in 2009.
2010 is the year which will either put Denman in the running to become a triple Gold Cup Champion in 2011, or cement Kauto Star’s reputation as a truly outstanding competitor. If he races to win this Friday he will become only the fifth horse in the event’s history to win the race three times or more.

The first contender to achieve this outstanding feat was the legendary Golden Miller, who still holds the record of winning the Gold Cup at Cheltenham five consecutive years. The seemingly invincible thoroughbred dominated the event from 1932 to 1936, winning under four different jockeys; Ted Leader (’32), Billy Stott (’33), Geryy Wilson (’34,’35) and Evan Williams (’36).
Cottage Rake, and regular jockey Aubrey Brabazon, won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1948, 1949 and 1950; making a name not only for himself and his rider, but also shining the spotlight on trainer Vincent O’Brien.
The next horse to crack the magic code of a triple Gold Cup was the still revered and fondly remembered Arkle, who was led to victory from 1964 to 1966 by equally legendary jockey Pat Taaffe. Taaffe, incidentally, stands to lose his title of winningmost jockey of the Cheltenham Festival to Kauto Star’s jockey Ruby Walsh – should Walsh win more than one race this week.
The latest contender to reach the elusive third win of the Gold Cup was Best Mate, who won consecutively from 2002 to 2004. All his winning Gold Cup rides were under jockey Jim Culloty.

This Friday, 19th March, at 15.20, the moment of truth the racing community – punters, spectators and connections alike – has so keenly awaited for the entire season will finally come. It may leave us with a new triple Gold Cup winner, or it may leave us with a whole new champion to cheer for. The only thing guaranteed is that the 2010 totesport Gold Cup will be one of the most exciting races of the season.