Kauto Star

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----- Nicholls was also quick to dismiss any rumours of Kauto Star’s retirement — after the 12-year-old pulled up during Friday’s (16 March) Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Kauto's participation had been unsure in the run up to the race, due to a heavy fall in training a fortnight before.

“We just ran out of time with him. But Kauto is 100%, and we will canter him away and rough him off for the summer and see where we stand when he comes back in,” he said.

“But any talk of retirement is very premature. Clive [Smith, Kauto's owner] and I haven't even discussed it, and I dare say we won't in any great detail until Kauto comes back in, in July.

"This season told everyone not to be so hasty in writing him off." -----




Doesn't sound like Kauto's retirement is in the bag yet :(
I do hope they retire the old boy, it is always sad when the best aren't retired until their form has significantly dropped, it slightly tarnishes the memory of they excellent form.
He has won and achieved so very much, he has nothing left to prove, and he owes nothing to anybody.
 
To my mind he always had a chink in his armour with an occasional fall, really retirement depends on the individual horse, some enjoy being the trainers hack, others are fine in full retirement, and some do well in the P2P or hunter chase field, they need to have a purpose in life.
However we don't expect to see him running in top class races again, each race a hard one, and little chance of winning.
 
I am really disappointed to read this. After the GC Clive said he was 90% certain to retire him and it would take someone with a very good reason not to persuade him otherwise... and now this. It feels to me of Nicholls clinging onto this horse when he has done his bit and could have a career doing something else and be a fantastic ambassador for Racehorse retraining/careers after racing. Think of the publicity he would generate.

Instead Nicholls seems intent on pushing him. If he ends up like Best Mate then on his head be it.
 
tallyho! said:
money money money... lots of money... in a rich mans world.
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If you read Paul Nicholls book he openly recommends his owners treat their horses in a business like manner, however some are exceptional, and will be retained "in the family"
There are few individual people who can pay out an infinite amount of money for an infinite length of time.
Most owners know that there has to be a sensible degree of management.
 
If I owned him, I'd be looking for a competent rider to take him on, take him hunting, perhaps try some low level eventing - just basically give him a much quieter life. He has nothing to prove and owes no'one (particularly Paul Nicholls) anything.

P
 
Kauto Star had loads of people calling for his retirement last year after Punchestown, when he came back into trainingthis season he was a totally different horse winning the Betfair & King George beating lots of good horses including Long Run twice. Paul Nicholls had stated that the horse never seemed right last season and was now back to his best. I feel sure if he hadnt had that schooling fall he would have given a good account of his self in the Gold Cup.

All Paul Nicholls is saying is to wait and see when he comes back into training and see how he is, he will never run in the Gold Cup again but Im sure they are hoping to find a race for him to go out on a high.

I know Clive Smith said he didnt want anything to happen to him like Best Mate but IMO what happened to BM was a fluke which could have happened anywhere at anytime. We all know a heart attack can happen at anytime as the current news about that young footballer proves.
 
Miss L Toe said:
If you read Paul Nicholls book he openly recommends his owners treat their horses in a business like manner, however some are exceptional, and will be retained "in the family"
There are few individual people who can pay out an infinite amount of money for an infinite length of time.
Most owners know that there has to be a sensible degree of management.
Click to expand...

Oh well, that makes him a saint!
 
I was very much in the "Retire Him" camp last year but as we all now know he was not right and took over a year to recover from his 2010 Gold Cup fall.

Having seen his blistering performances in the Betfair and the King George, which indicated that he did still have the enthusiasm and ability to win at Grade 1 Level, I think PN is absolutely right not to jump to a hasty decision.
He won't contest a Gold Cup again, that much has already been said, and to take him to the Festival again to race in a lower grade race would be unfortunate. But providing all is well over the summer and he comes in fresh and bouncing at the end of it, I should think Kempton and another go at the King George could be on the cards. The flatter track would be an advantage.

The schooling fall obviously left more of a legacy than anticipated.
 
I'm not jumping on to the 'Retire Him Band Wagon' If the horse has a good break and comes back well, why on earth shouldn't he race next season? He loves his racing he looked amazing this season so I will be one looking forward to seeing the horse out next year!
 
Seems to be the latest fashion in the amateur horsy world - calling for horses to be retired prematurely. Along with calling for horses to be put to sleep prematurely, as obviously your average horse would prefer to be dead than sold to someone who might not give them such a good home. Wierd.

Traditionally, many NH horses have gone on to race til 12/13, some more, if sound and fit. No-one wants Kauto Star's story to end in tragedy, but he is a racehorse, and a good one, and he was in exceptional form this year. If you saw the video of one of his jump schooling sessions, you can see the horse is in peak form and nowhere near ready for retirement. He still loves what he does. Obviously things can change, but I really hope when he is retired, it is for the right reasons, and not because of current public mood.

I think he would have won what was quite a weak Cheltenham Gold Cup if he had not tweaked somethinng in that training fall. I am sure the horse would love to be roughed off for the summer and come back into training for even half a season next year.
 
Mithras said:
Seems to be the latest fashion in the amateur horsy world - calling for horses to be retired prematurely. Along with calling for horses to be put to sleep prematurely, as obviously your average horse would prefer to be dead than sold to someone who might not give them such a good home. Wierd.

Traditionally, many NH horses have gone on to race til 12/13, some more, if sound and fit. No-one wants Kauto Star's story to end in tragedy, but he is a racehorse, and a good one, and he was in exceptional form this year. If you saw the video of one of his jump schooling sessions, you can see the horse is in peak form and nowhere near ready for retirement. He still loves what he does. Obviously things can change, but I really hope when he is retired, it is for the right reasons, and not because of current public mood.

I think he would have won what was quite a weak Cheltenham Gold Cup if he had not tweaked somethinng in that training fall. I am sure the horse would love to be roughed off for the summer and come back into training for even half a season next year.
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sense has been spoken :)
 
Agree with the last two comments. Having the next few months off and then bring him back in and they will know what the right course forward is either way.
 
tallyho! said:
money money money... lots of money... in a rich mans world.
Click to expand...

As someone who lives very close to Paul Nicholls, has met him a few times and knows many of his friends I take issue with this statement. He adores that horse and if he thought Kauto was ready to retire he would do it in a flash. Nicholls has plenty of other brilliant horses so doesn't need Kauto to keep him afloat. Given his fantastic form this season all he is saying is that they will see how he goes.
 
Mithras said:
Seems to be the latest fashion in the amateur horsy world - calling for horses to be retired prematurely. Along with calling for horses to be put to sleep prematurely, as obviously your average horse would prefer to be dead than sold to someone who might not give them such a good home. Wierd.

Traditionally, many NH horses have gone on to race til 12/13, some more, if sound and fit. No-one wants Kauto Star's story to end in tragedy, but he is a racehorse, and a good one, and he was in exceptional form this year. If you saw the video of one of his jump schooling sessions, you can see the horse is in peak form and nowhere near ready for retirement. He still loves what he does. Obviously things can change, but I really hope when he is retired, it is for the right reasons, and not because of current public mood.

I think he would have won what was quite a weak Cheltenham Gold Cup if he had not tweaked somethinng in that training fall. I am sure the horse would love to be roughed off for the summer and come back into training for even half a season next year.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. It seems strange that so many people on this forum will applaud a horse for tackling Badminton at the age of 18 but happily call Kauto Star's connections worse than s*** for taking him racing at 12. OK he may no longer be quite the force he was in his younger days but he is still a top class chaser who has beaten some top class horses this season. By all accounts he loves his racing and if he comes back next season in good form I see no reason he shouldn't be raced provided his heart is still in it.
 
I have read all the people's posts clamouring for the retirement of Kauto Star. I have also listened to more than one interview with Paul Nicholls who has consistently stated that Kauto would not enjoy retirement. He says that He loves his work and would not enjoy 12 years stood in a field doing nothing. I find it incredible that all these experts know what is best for a horse that they have simply seen for 5 mins on the TV 3/4 times a year at best.
Look at Denman, PN stated even before his injury that he would love hunting, as soon as he injured himself he was retired and now hopes to send him hunting and team chasing. People are right when they say Kauto owes nobody anything but perhaps we should be content in letting the people who owe him a lot decide on his future.
If Kauto loves racing as much as the people who really know him say then may I quote Geoff Boycott who had to retire from top class cricket when his eyesight deteriorated. 'I would trade 10 years off the end of my life against another couple playing cricket'
 
pec said:
I have read all the people's posts clamouring for the retirement of Kauto Star. I have also listened to more than one interview with Paul Nicholls who has consistently stated that Kauto would not enjoy retirement. He says that He loves his work and would not enjoy 12 years stood in a field doing nothing. '
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No one's suggesting he should stand in a field and do nothing, just retire from the demands of racing. I don't think Paul Nicholls is wrong about still racing him but just want to make the point that retiring from racing does not mean its time to dump him in a field.
 
I am loving all these 'experts' on here, that tell P Nicholls what to do. At the end of the day, unless you know the horse you are not qualified to comment. Harsh but true.
He does seem to enjoy his racing.
 
minesadouble said:
Totally agree. It seems strange that so many people on this forum will applaud a horse for tackling Badminton at the age of 18 but happily call Kauto Star's connections worse than s*** for taking him racing at 12. OK he may no longer be quite the force he was in his younger days but he is still a top class chaser who has beaten some top class horses this season. By all accounts he loves his racing and if he comes back next season in good form I see no reason he shouldn't be raced provided his heart is still in it.
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I absolutely agree with this, some people on this thread think that connections are trying to bleed the last penny out of him which is an absolute lie. If he retired tomorrow he could earn a small fortune on public appearances and endorsements alone so why would they continue to race him if it was all about the money.
 
tallyho! said:
Oh well, that makes him a saint!
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I did not say PN is a saint, but he is a champion trainer who has worked from nothing, believe me there are owners who try to wring the last penny out of their good horses, these are the people who top trainers would rather do without.
All trainers want to train good horses, but there is more to the job than that.
All owners want to own a Gold Cup horse, but they know that they can't go out and buy one!
I don't know what your point is, but not all horse have the same retirement requirements.
 
dominobrown said:
I am loving all these 'experts' on here, that tell P Nicholls what to do. At the end of the day, unless you know the horse you are not qualified to comment. Harsh but true.
He does seem to enjoy his racing.
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I think people have an opinion (educated or not), and do not want to see the horses racing days ending with him towed away in an ambulance or meat wagon.

The horse has nothing to prove - so let him retire now.

Imagine the fun he can have (along with Denman) team chasing and hunting......

Going to the well once to often usually ends in disaster.
 
amymay said:
I think people have an opinion (educated or not), and do not want to see the horses racing days ending with him towed away in an ambulance or meat wagon.

The horse has nothing to prove - so let him retire now.

Imagine the fun he can have (along with Denman) team chasing and hunting......

Going to the well once to often usually ends in disaster.
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Unfortunately disaster strikes when least expected, and is unpredictable.
Team chasing has a poor safety record, and is not as controlled as UK Jumps Racing.
One day, out hunting with The Bedale three horse died by 2.00pm.
 
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Now the news that Denman is going hunting and team chasing once his injured tendon has recovered, is a prospect that DOES fill me with concern and alarm.
 
Ultimately PN will make the RIGHT choice for kauto in the end. He's not a man to listen to outsoide comments and I have full faith in him to make that choice. Tho I would love to see him get that 6th king george
 
I am a punter and as a punter who supports racing then I believe I am entitled to express an opinion. Thats all it is and I'm sure PN isnt going to be swayed by it one way or the other :D
 
Miss L Toe said:
I did not say PN is a saint, but he is a champion trainer who has worked from nothing, believe me there are owners who try to wring the last penny out of their good horses, these are the people who top trainers would rather do without.
All trainers want to train good horses, but there is more to the job than that.
All owners want to own a Gold Cup horse, but they know that they can't go out and buy one!
I don't know what your point is, but not all horse have the same retirement requirements.
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I must agree with you there but I am not a fan of racing really and I do get a bit het up. I will calm down and stop posting useless garb.
 
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