King George at Kempton (spoiler)

teagreen said:
I'm not saying he isn't a good pilot. He's a very good amateur, but not as slick, polished and professional and the likes of Walsh and Geraghty, simply because they do it every day and have been for years. He's got money, bravery, talent and dedication, but today the race was ALL Ruby's - it was a tactical masterclass that was all Ruby's doing from the off. Once Long Run gets put under pressure, he starts making mistakes and Waley-Cohen becomes just that bit unbalanced and takes just that bit longer to regain his drive and poise and in a race of this calibre, against jockeys like Walsh, you can't afford to lose a centimetre.I genuinely believe that if Long Run had had Geraghty up top today, he'd have won or at least come very close to Kauto - and I think he'll need that to win the Gold Cup. I was just reading an article in the Guardian where McGrath said todays race showed you the difference between pros and ams.

He can ride Long Run all he wants, its up to them, but I'd be so interested to see what would happen if they put a pro up there.
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This I entirely agree with. In Grade 1 races it all comes down to fractions. That is the difference between a Pro and an Am. Fractions. And as good as Sam W-C is he just isn't quite Grade 1 class.

At the end of the day I don't think Kauto was going to get beaten no matter who was on Long Run but it would have been a very close call. Long Run is only 6years old and he will come into his own properly in a year or two and then we may well see a horse that can start to lift Grade 1's here, there and everywhere. He will never outshine Kauto as he has been winning Grade 1 Chses since he was 5yo and has just won 5 King Georges, the latest being aged 11. Long Run's jumping leaves something to be desired but so did Kauto's in his younger days. He really was a "bookies horse" - he had to get over the last before any bets were paid out.

It is a credit to the Ditcheat yard for keeping him as sound and as tough for as long as they have and to keep him performing at such an indredibly high level year after year after year. If he can nick a 5-6l lead on Long Run on the home turn come March then I think he will retire as the reigning Gold Cup champ.
 
What a wonderful horse. Congratulations to PN, Ruby Walsh and all at Ditcheat who keep this horse at the top. Personally, I would like to see him retired now - his last two victories have been brilliant.

Masterminded has struck into a tendon. PN reported that whilst his injury (which he has done before) is not life threatening, it is potentially career ending. Fingers crossed for him.

And little Golan Way decided he had had enough today - he refused four from home.
 
Kauto is a legend. I have followed him for years now and was delighted to see him beat Desert Orchids record. I watched Dessie as a schoolgirl and adored him as well. I would like to see him retired at the top though and today ..well you can't get much better than that.
But..he would be my choice over Long Run for the GC the way he is running right now. Even with a top jock aboard.
My heart kicks in and I would not like anything to happen to him.
Fingers crossed for MM.
 
Paul Nicholls tweeted this morning that MM had surgery last night on a serious injury, and is comfortable this morning. It's career threatening, not life threatening.

Have everything crossed for this wonderful horse.
 
teagreen said:
I'm not saying he isn't a good pilot. He's a very good amateur, but not as slick, polished and professional and the likes of Walsh and Geraghty, simply because they do it every day and have been for years. He's got money, bravery, talent and dedication, but today the race was ALL Ruby's - it was a tactical masterclass that was all Ruby's doing from the off. Once Long Run gets put under pressure, he starts making mistakes and Waley-Cohen becomes just that bit unbalanced and takes just that bit longer to regain his drive and poise and in a race of this calibre, against jockeys like Walsh, you can't afford to lose a centimetre.I genuinely believe that if Long Run had had Geraghty up top today, he'd have won or at least come very close to Kauto - and I think he'll need that to win the Gold Cup. I was just reading an article in the Guardian where McGrath said todays race showed you the difference between pros and ams.
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I'm comparing this with McCoy's "misses" at fences on both Kauto Star (in last year's King George) and Denman...doesn't always work out, putting a harder driving, less sympathetic rider on top. Long Run goes very well for Sam Whaley-Cohen and more likely the horse is still learning his trade. I can imagine some professional jockeys driving him too hard and putting him under too much pressure and causing him to fall, not win, actually. Sometimes riding too many bad horses, day in, day out, can take away from your riding, not add to it.

As for Kauto Star being too old, he's only rising 12. NH horses often go on til 12 if they are sound and enthusiastic. I do think Long Run lives up to his name and has an advantage on a long run in, such as up Cheltenham's hill, where the advantage of Kauto Star's more fluent jumping will have worn off. I agree with the poster above that if Ruby steals a march on him before this, he could win it.

I also think Kauto Star would be terribly disappointed not to make his usual race preperations and trip to Cheltenham in March!
 
I dont think AP McCoy would be the right jockey for Long Run but Barry G would, he is an excellent horseman and very sympathetic and is stable jockey for Nicky Henderson. Others such as Timmy Murphy and Graham Lee are equaly so as is Ruby but he is booked elsewhere.:rolleyes:

Not only is Ruby an excellent horseman but he knows Kauto inside out and that has to be an advantage and I always thought putting up AP when Ruby was injured was a big mistake. Nothing wrong with AP its just their riding styles are so different and Kauto and Denman did not like be bustled along but needed to be kidded and allowed to settle into a rhythm.

The news on Master Minded is promising but I for one will be sad not to see this horse on a racecourse again and hope the horse proves them wrong and makes a complete recovery.
 
I think it's difficult to say who would or would not suit Long Run since Sam WC is the only person to have ridden him in Britain (and I've never seen any of his French races where someone else rode him) - I get a gut feeling though that Geraghty would suit the horse beautifully. It'd be oh so interesting..I wish they'd do it!

You can't really have a go at AP, although people seem to adore doing it as an escape clause. Last year, AP rode Kauto who I think we all now accept was below par, and got beaten in the King George - Ruby then rode him in the Gold Cup and he was 3rd, and then pulled up at Punchestown. He only just won on him at Down Royal. I don't think it would have mattered if God himself had ridden Kauto in the last King George.

AP rode Denman and was unseated, and then (what everyone seems to forget?) was a glorious second in the Gold Cup with him. He isn't that useless! If AP had been riding Kauto in the year he fell in the Gold Cup, it would have been entirely AP's fault, a 'spectacular AP miss' - but it was Ruby, so no one says a thing. AP and Ruby have different riding styles; we all have different riding styles, and we all suit different horses. But I loathe people batting on about what a rubbish, unsympathetic rider AP is and how garbage he was on Kauto and Denman. Years of scrubbing away on useless animals at Sedgefield has not made Tony a wooden, poor rider, but an exceedingly good one who, through his riding style, gets on better with horses who require pushing and a strong ride.

I'm certainly not saying put a harder driving jockey on Long Run to win, just a professional one who is more balanced and tactically aware.

Reading todays Racing Post brought a tear to my eye - and how amazing is the fact that Kauto had started winning over fences before Long Run was even born. Superstar :D
 
What is happening to this forum, we go on to post about an incredible win by an incredible horse ridden by a jockey who knows him inside out....and it develops into a "bashing session" re another jockey who was riding a horse who quite simply is now racing against a lifetime super star (for those of a certain age think back to Mill House and Arkle, no jockey bashing then) come on folks lets just celebrate being able to watch Kauto and thank our lucky stars we were able to take part, even if it was from behind the sofa!!!! :D
 
Freddie19 said:
What is happening to this forum
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It says under 'Latest News' that it's a place to 'discuss' the latest news - what would life be without a good discussion :D I don't think anyone is taking away from the incredible, outstanding, amazing performance of the great champion himself - he is a joy to watch and I feel lucky, like everyone else, to have been able to witness such a champion :D Makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up just thinking about it.
 
Just watched the video - what a horse! He looked so comfortable and settled the whole way round. It was lovely to see other jockies patting him - I think they all appreciate just how special he is. I'd quite like to see him out hunting and team chasing with Frostie Buckley - wouldn't that be interesting? ;)
 
Freddie19 said:
What is happening to this forum, we go on to post about an incredible win by an incredible horse ridden by a jockey who knows him inside out....and it develops into a "bashing session" re another jockey who was riding a horse who quite simply is now racing against a lifetime super star (for those of a certain age think back to Mill House and Arkle, no jockey bashing then) come on folks lets just celebrate being able to watch Kauto and thank our lucky stars we were able to take part, even if it was from behind the sofa!!!! :D
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Agree with you Freddie. Kauto won it fair and square.
 
dunkley said:
Just watched the video - what a horse! He looked so comfortable and settled the whole way round. It was lovely to see other jockies patting him - I think they all appreciate just how special he is. I'd quite like to see him out hunting and team chasing with Frostie Buckley - wouldn't that be interesting? ;)
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I'll also throw my hat in the ring for taking Kauto team chasing ;) Although the way he stood off that one fence down the back would be a little scary over a solid obstacle! What an awesome animal - jumping better than ever this season. Hope he retains this level of form for the Gold Cup as no reason he can't win it IMHO
 
I went yesterday, we took all the children it was an amazing experience. I have never heard a crowd like it. It has been a long time since Arkle and even though Dessie was a very good horse, he was not the equal of this one and it is time there was a horse who could legitimately be called the greatest. Personally I do not think that the Gold Cup can be avoided now, the horse is fit and well and in the best form so why not? However I saw an interview with Ruby who said he thought Kauto was better than Arkle but I don't think you can compare, it was a different game then. Arkle ran more often and carried more weight. The maximum was higher then. I do not believe Kauto gould give another Gold Cup winner two stone and a beating, despite how marvelous he is.
 
badattitude said:
I went yesterday, we took all the children it was an amazing experience. I have never heard a crowd like it. It has been a long time since Arkle and even though Dessie was a very good horse, he was not the equal of this one and it is time there was a horse who could legitimately be called the greatest. Personally I do not think that the Gold Cup can be avoided now, the horse is fit and well and in the best form so why not? However I saw an interview with Ruby who said he thought Kauto was better than Arkle but I don't think you can compare, it was a different game then. Arkle ran more often and carried more weight. The maximum was higher then. I do not believe Kauto gould give another Gold Cup winner two stone and a beating, despite how marvelous he is.
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On the Racing Post site there are lots of posts about camparisons with Arkle,Flyingbolt & Dessie but I think people should be grateful and feel privileged to be living in the era of Kauto Star. He is not the weight carrier of Arkle but has won over all distances and is an all round great racehorse by any standards. Lets just enjoy him.
 
Another screaming him home in an empty house here, including begging "don't fluff the last don't fluff the last..." as he came down to the final fence!

Not a bit of it, he was foot perfect. I've heard people saying Long Run is not the horse he was last year- but hey, maybe he is. It's Kauto who wasn't the horse he IS last year, and is back in full swing now. Would LOVE to see him regain the gold cup AGAIN!
 
Kauto Star was absolutley amazing, I too think he deserves one last crack at the Gold Cup.

I also think Long Run will be twice the horse he is now in a year or two (barring injury of course.) For me he just lacks confidence in his jumping and that is his big stumbling block. If you look at some stills of him approaching his fences he just looks worried as he comes into them. With a few more miles on the clock he will hopefully gain confidence over his fences and he could then go on to be an even better horse than he is now.

Good luck to them both, and roll on March 2012 :)!
 
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