Saturday, March 13, 2010

KAUTO STAR & DENMAN HEAD DOZEN FOR totesport CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP

The owners of Kauto Star and Denman talk horses

FACTFILES & FACTS FOR THE TWO CHASERS

It will be the third time that the two horses, who know each other so well, go head to head in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup

Nicholls has also left in leading John Smith's Grand National contender Tricky Trickster, who took advantage of Denman's uncharacteristic jumping errors to triumph at Newbury, as well as last year's fifth My Will.

The champion trainer is bidding to become the first handler since Basil Briscoe (1932-35) to land the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup for a fourth consecutive year.

Imperial Commander has won on four of his five starts over Cheltenham's fences including a two-length verdict over Voy Por Ustedes in the Grade One Ryanair Chase at The Festival last year. Trained locally by Nigel Twiston-Davies, the nine-year-old went down by a nose to Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November prior to taking fifth behind the same horse in the King George VI Chase.

Cooldine romped to a 16-length victory in the Grade One RSA Chase at last year's Festival and the Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old was beaten a neck in the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup on his latest start, while further Irish interest is provided by Casey Jones, who also triumphed in Grade One company as a novice for Noel Meade.

Carrurthers, fourth behind Cooldine 12 months ago, will be bidding to give trainer Mark Bradstock and owner/breeder Lord Oaksey a fairytale success, while Best Mate's handler Henrietta Knight may aim for a fourth win in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup with Calgary Bay.

Venetia Williams has left in last season's Grand National winner Mon Mome and the potential field is completed by the Paul Murphy-trained pair of Cerium and Mr Pointment.

Friday's racing on the final day of The Festival gets underway at 1.30pm with the £100,000 Grade One JCB Triumph Hurdle and the 29 acceptors include leading Irish-trained contenders Alaivan and Carlito Brigante as well as Advisor and Soldatino, who have both made impressive starts to their hurdling careers.

A total of 36 horses remain for Friday's third Grade One contest, the £100,000 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (2.40pm), headed by the Tom George-trained Tell Massini, who has notched a pair of Grade Two victories at Cheltenham already this season.

Restless Harry also boasts winning form at Prestbury Park, having taken the Grade Two Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle on Festival Trials Day, while Shinrock Paddy landed a Grade One contest at Navan in December.

This season's leading hunter chasers will be hoping to triumph in the amateur's Gold Cup, the £40,000 Christie's Foxhunter Chase (4.00pm), and a total of 39 horses going forward include Roulez Cool, who was runner-up in a Grade Two Chase in France before joining current owner/trainer Robert Waley-Cohen.

Baby Run was third in last year's race and went on to take the Punchestown Champion Hunters' Chase for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, while Aintree chairman Lord Daresbury, who partnered Timmie's Battle to victory in 1978, could return to the winner's enclosure as an owner with the 2008 scorer Amicelli or Aintree Fox Hunters' victor Trust Fund.

Fiercely competitive handicap action looks guaranteed with 71 going forward for the £75,000 Grade Three Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle (2.05pm), while 128 horses have stood their ground for the £50,000 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (4.40pm).

Four days of enthralling action at The Festival is brought to a close by the £80,000 Grade Three Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (5.15pm) and the 46 remaining entries feature the Nicky Henderson-trained trio of French Opera, You're The Top and Pepsyrock.

GOING

"We will consider tomorrow whether to irrigate the New Course further depending on what the forecast is for the latter part of next week."

SMITH AND FINDLAY ON KAUTO STAR AND DENMAN AHEAD OF THIRD MEETING IN THE totesport GOLD CUP

Currently the score stands at one all between the two Paul Nicholls-trained superstars, with Denman having got the better of his stablemate in the 2008 renewal of The Festival's feature, only for Kauto Star to reverse the placings last year and become the first horse to regain chasing's Blue Riband, having recorded his initial totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup success in 2007.

Clive Smith, owner of Kauto Star and Harry Findlay, part-owner of Denman, were present at a totesport-organised press event in London on Thursday and gave their thoughts ahead of Friday's contest.

Clive Smith said "Kauto Star is sparkling at the moment on the gallops and Paul (Nicholls) and Clifford Baker couldn't be more pleased. I've as much respect for Denman as anybody and believe the mishap at Newbury is in the past, he will better for that race and Paul will have him spot on for Friday so we've got some serious opposition on the day.

"I've got great admiration for Tony McCoy, as anybody would, and he won the Cathcart for me on Royal Auclair. I think Tony will ride Denman brilliantly on the day so he's going to be a formidable opponent.

"I've been asked several times what it feels like to watch Kauto Star and it is the first couple of fences that are the worry, once he gets over those he's fine and then he strides away and jumps very impressively. He's done that every time at Kempton Park.

"Obviously there's always race riding to think about, it's like the rub of the green at golf, so I never could say I'm not worried but I have a lot of confidence in Kauto Star.

"I think Denman was terrific in 2008 and the only possible thing you could mention was how close Neptune Collonges was to Kauto Star that time. Kauto Star should have beaten Neptune Collonges by 10-12 lengths and he just beat him by a short-head. That's the only reason you could think Kauto wasn't up to his best then.

"He'd had the injury at Ascot that year when he had pus in his foot and he'd been up that night and maybe that had some effect. He had a couple of days off the gallops but that would have happened anyway after a race.

"Just because I appear relaxed doesn't mean I'm not excited. When I've thought about it, I think that it was only after the race I realised how thrilled and uptight and excited I really was. It was only when I relaxed afterwards that I realised.

"Any owner worth his salt likes to have a bet on his own horse. I use Betfair, which I think is fantastic. I thought 7/4 was a fantastic price last year but 8/11 is a bit tight this time. I just dribble a bit of money on in the months leading up and then I might have a big bet on the day.

"I just want the horse to win it for himself and be rated as highly as he can. He's up there with the best and has great qualities that certain horses didn't have. He's won at two miles and got great speed. He's very brave as I suppose all champions are.

"We'll see at the end of the career where he stands but he has to be close to the best. He's got certain qualities that Arkle didn't have, his speed and the fact that he won at two miles. But they are like golfers; it's very difficult to compare champions from different generations.

"I saw Arkle race many times at the races. He was terrific and I was full of admiration for him but I think Kauto is close to him now.

"One of the great things in the last couple of years is that Ruby (Walsh) has worked Kauto to the nth degree and got better and better on him. I think that's brought two to three lengths improvement in him."

Harry Findlay said: "The year Denman won, there was no great pace there in the early stages and he just stepped it and stepped it up and that's what won us the race.

"He's a Jack the lad. On Thursday morning, when he was schooling with Tony McCoy everything else went where they should but not him. He shirked and cajoled but that's just him.

"Paul does a great job with all his horses but to have trained Denman all that time and keep him sweet is a fine art because he is a bit of a lad. He takes a bit of looking after.

"I didn't fancy him in the first mile of the Hennessy this season but he loved the latter part of the race. At the last fence he was giving two stone to What A Friend, who did nothing wrong, but Denman gained two lengths. That just doesn't happen.

"Then people say he was beaten when he made his first mistake at Newbury in the AON Chase but he was far from beat.

"We did try the blinkers but they didn't go too well. I hope the Gold Cup gets him in the mood and I have to say I haven't even thought about winning it after what happened to him at Aintree last year.

"But for everyone else I hope he shows up and runs his race at Cheltenham and if he was beaten three lengths by Kauto Star I'd be happy. I'd just be gutted if Denman doesn't show up but he was a nine out of 10 when I saw him on Thursday morning.

"Tony McCoy told me straight after he won his Gold Cup to be careful because he thought that race would have made a big mark on him. Talking to him on Thursday, I half got the impression he still thought that.

"We've also got the ground to worry about this year. At least in 2008 we had nice sticky ground which they called good to soft but was softer than that. This year, if we play into Kauto's hands on this ground, I can only see one result.

"It's lovely to have Carruthers in the race because he can make the running and there are a couple of others as well including maybe Imperial Commander. The only place to go is in the middle of the race to attack.

"I make my living out of my judgement but I've never sat on a racehorse so I don't say too much about jockeys but Tony's a great jockey and I think he'll suit us. I've always been a massive McCoy fan.

"Ruby's just a different style and you can't fail to be astonished how skilful he is, especially when he's schooling at home.

"I stuck up for Sam (Thomas) last season and got him the ride at Aintree, which went against the head.

"But with Sam not being so directly involved with Nicholls this year I always thought Tony would get the call. I left it primarily to the Pauls (Barber and Nicholls), knowing that it was probably going to be McCoy, Sam Thomas or Christian Williams that rode Denman and I wasn't bothered which one. The jockey was never an issue to me. Sam's done it all before and suited Denman well, Christian handled the horse well and is unbeaten on him and McCoy's a legend.

"I think Paul Barber's been sniffing around for McCoy to ride Denman before. Last year Denman had his problems and the year before Tony McCoy had an injury prior to The Festival so I don't think it's the first time they've been in contact.

"Barber's also always been mad for Ruby and I think in the back of his mind always hoped that he'd get off Kauto, but he won't.

"I think Paul (Nicholls) is already talking about Kauto for next year and there has to be a good chance they can meet again. There was always going to be nothing coming through this year, it was a nothing RSA Chase last season, but there are at least three coming through for next year and I'd love to see that as a racing fan.

"There's a few like Long Run and Mikael D'Haguenet that could shake the market up.

"There was plenty of 1.78 Kauto on Wednesday night (on Betfair) and that was a good price. I don't believe in insurance, my house isn't insured, but when you've got a horse that can win £200,000 in prize money and give you a great buzz if it's successful then you can back the other horse. If Kauto's 1.78 next Friday, then I'll be taking that.

"We haven't discussed tactics to any degree yet but will do before the race. Last year's race was a time trial and we knew we couldn't be too aggressive with Denman; it looked like we wouldn't be running him a week before the race.

"Everyone knows Kauto is Nicholls' favourite horse. It annoys Paul Barber a bit but doesn't bother me at all.

"I'm a dog man and I know how I'd feel if I trained dogs who had done what they had done and had them in my kennel. If I was the trainer not the owner then I'd want Kauto Star to win the Gold Cup so I don't blame Paul at all.

"I just think that as a trainer your champion, the best you've had, is very special and I understand that. Even if we beat Kauto Star on Friday it doesn't make us the governor, because it's three and a quarter miles around Cheltenham which I think is slightly in our favour.

"Paul Nicholls thinks I'm completely mad to say that but I think the only chink in Kauto's armour is whether he gets three and a quarter miles round Cheltenham in a true run race. We all talk about winning the Tingle Creek over two miles but he didn't just win it, he won it after four fences. It was all over by the Railway Fences.

"I've also never seen him more impressive in terms of the speed he jumps than at Kempton over Christmas.

"He had five races before he won the Gold Cup but he's only had two races this year. We're going to have to beat the best ever Kauto Star this year. From last year Nicholls has had one job to do and that's to win another Gold Cup. Kauto Star is so fresh and so well that it will take an enormous performance to beat him. I just hope we're in contention two out.

"I never think Kauto gets the respect he deserves and one of the reasons I make a living is that people don't like the champions. If you took away the money I'd made from the likes of Federer, Woods, Kauto, Denman, Eric Bristow and Steve Davis then you'd have a loser.

"I was in Australia when Kauto Star won the King George and 8/11 was a great price. If he'd have got beaten that day then I wouldn't have a pot to piss in now. You do get great value on the champions in this country, there's a percentage of people who love to get them beat and I love those people.

"I've seen all the horses since 1978 onwards and Kauto is the best three-mile plus chaser since then. I'd only have Kauto 5-6lb behind Arkle on what I've seen.

"In 2008 turning in we were going to beat Kauto by 30 lengths until we hit the second last. That race had to leave its mark because as he turned Denman wasn't stopping but then stopped when he hit the second last but won by seven lengths. I think we were 30 seconds away from something really special that day, something obscene. He was on fire that day.

"I'm gutted for the press that we didn't win at Newbury last time and then we'd have had a real match."

DENMAN (IRE) FACTFILE

Race Record: Starts: 19; Wins: 14; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £904,074

Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay
Paul Barber's family have farmed near Ditcheat since the 1830s and he oversees a 2,000-strong dairy herd on 3,000 acres, having started with 150 cows on 150 acres that now produce 45 tonnes of cheese daily for Barbers and Maryland Farmhouse Cheese, run by Paul's brother Nicholas. Paul - who has been allergic to cheese since the age of five - was born on December 31, 1942, on the kitchen table in the house where he still lives, stating "I've never thought about living elsewhere" and despite no family involvement with racing, has been an owner since his purchase in 1958 of a horse that cost £450 and had to be paid for instalments. He has never owned a Flat horse and his first winner was Crazy Slave, who scored in 1963. His main flagbearers before Denman are headed by the 1999 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner See More Business. He paid £82,000 for Denman and refuses to pay over the odds for a horse after being stung when making a couple of expensive purchases following See More Business's success. "Back then I bought a couple of horses which to my mind cost too much money. One thing all horses have in common are that they are bloody expensive," he said recently. Others to carry his colours include See More Indians, who won eight races out of 14, and the John Thorne-trained Artifice. Barber owns Nicholls's Manor Farm Stables, initially converted from a cow shed, and his house overlooks Denman's stable. Many of his best performers have had an initial grounding in point-to-points, either with Liam Burke in Ireland or Barber's brother Richard - who has trained four Festival winners - at Seaborough in Dorset. Barber's partner in many of his horses is professional gambler Harry Findlay. Denman, like many of Findlay's horses, runs in the name of his mother Margaret, like his late father a former nurse from Glasgow. The London-born Findlay, who lives near Bath, is a one-time greyhound trainer who is now best known as a fearless high-stakes punter. He is a regular winner of the Tote's Scoop 6 bet and specialises in long odds-on bets on Betfair but met his biggest reverse when losing £2.7 million after backing New Zealand to win the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He met Paul Barber at Doncaster sales and the duo have teamed up to own a number of promising performers which - apart from Denman - include Racing Post Chase winner Gungadu, Desert Quest, who landed the 2006 Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle and Big Fella Thanks, named after his best greyhound.
totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup wins: 1999 SEE MORE BUSINESS (owned by Paul Barber and John Keighley), 2008 DENMAN

Paul Nicholls
Paul Nicholls, the son of a policeman, was born on April 17, 1962, and has been training at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset, since taking out a licence on November 1, 1991. He started out in racing as a jump jockey and twice rode the winner of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury - in 1986 on Broadheath and a year later on Playschool, both sent out by Devon trainer David Barons. Nicholls partnered 130 winners between 1980 and 1989, struggling always to keep his weight down, and nominates the best horses he rode as Broadheath, Playschool and Seagram. Between 1989 and 1991, he was assistant trainer to Barons, who sent out Seagram to win the 1991 Grand National at Aintree during that time. He started out at Paul Barber's Manor Farm with eight horses. Having strongly challenged Martin Pipe for the jump trainers' championship over a number of years, most notably when pushing his great rival right to the last day of the 2004/05 campaign, Nicholls claimed his first title the following season, being responsible for 148 winners and gaining over £2.4 million in prize money. He retained the title the next season with 124 successes and nearly £2,950,000 in prize money. The hugely talented Kauto Star was the stable's flag bearer, with victories in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park, Sandown's Tingle Creek Chase, the King George VI Chase at Kempton, Newbury's AON Chase and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Kauto Star thus became the first horse to land the Betfair Million, the huge bonus put by the leading betting exchange for success in the Betfair Chase, King George VI Chase and totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. In the 2007/08 season, Kauto Star was runner-up in the Gold Cup but Nicholls also trained his conqueror, the mighty Denman, and ended up champion trainer again with 151 winners and over £3.6 million in prize money. In the 2008/09 season, Nicholls was champion again with his best tally yet of 155 winners and just under £3.5million in prize money. That season, Kauto Star landed a third King George VI Chase and became the first horse to reclaim the Gold Cup when defeating Denman by 13 lengths. Nicholls pulled off the amazing feat of saddling seven winners and three seconds from his 10 runners on Saturday, November 7, 1998, and made history when he became the first trainer to saddle six winners on the same card, at Wincanton, his local track, on Saturday, January 21, 2006. Another high point in his training career came at the 1999 Cheltenham Festival when he captured the major chase on each of the three days Flagship Uberalles scored in The Irish Independent Arkle Chase, Call Equiname in the Queen Mother Champion Chase the following day and, best of all, See More Business took the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Nicholls has trained 25 Cheltenham Festival winners in total, and was the most successful trainer at The Festival in 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. In 2009, as well as Kauto Star's triumph, he saddled Master Minded to a second win in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, while Big Buck's captured the staying hurdlers' crown when wining the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. Other highlights at The Festival so far include Azertyuiop's victories in The Irish Independent Arkle Trophy and the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, Paul is currently the second most successful current trainer at The Festival behind Nicky Henderson and is sixth on the all-time list. He is the most successful current handler in totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup with four victories and if he were to land the 2010 renewal, he would join the late Tom Dreaper, trainer of the legendary Arkle, as the race's winning most handler. His feat in 2009 of saddling the winners of the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup had only been achieved once before (by Jim Dreaper in 1975). His 1,000th British winner came when Noble Action won at Folkestone on November 15, 2004. This season he has saddled Denman to land a second Hennessy Gold Cup under top-weight, while Kauto Star became the first horse to win the King George VI Chase for a fourth consecutive year.
totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victories: 1999 SEE MORE BUSINESS, 2007 KAUTO STAR, 2008 DENMAN, 2009 KAUTO STAR

Tony McCoy
Born in Moneyglass, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland on May 4, 1974, Tony McCoy is the greatest jump jockey of his era and many would argue the greatest of all time. He is the son of Peadar McCoy, who bred the 1993 County Hurdle victor Thumbs Up. McCoy started out with Billy Rock, riding out from the age of 12, before trying his luck as a Flat jockey with Jim Bolger and rode his first winner on Legal Steps at Thurles on March 26, 1992. Since growing too heavy and turning to jump racing he has not looked back. He partnered his first British winner, Chickabiddy, at Exeter on September 7, 1994 and was champion conditional rider in Britain in 1994/5 with a then record 74 winners when attached to Toby Balding's Hampshire yard. He took his first senior title the following season with 174 wins. His domination has brought 14 consecutive jump jockey's titles and he is currently well on course for number 15 this season. McCoy broke Peter Scudamore's record of 221 wins in the 1997/8 season with 253 successes and broke his own record for the fastest 200 winners in the 1999/2000 season, ending up with 245 successes. In 2001/02 he beat by 20 the record of 269 winners in any season set by Flat jockey Sir Gordon Richards. He has passed the double century mark five times and reached the 3,000 winner mark at Plumpton in February, 2009. He had a fairytale 1997 Cheltenham Festival, recording a rare double on Make A Stand for his then boss Martin Pipe in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and Mr Mulligan in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. McCoy added a second Champion Hurdle when successful on Brave Inca in 2006. In total, he has partnered 21 winners at The Festival, although he has yet to finish better then third from 14 rides in the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree. In April, 2004, he left Martin Pipe's stable after accepting a reportedly huge retainer from owner J P McManus and rides for McManus's principal trainer in Britain, Jonjo O'Neill. McCoy also rides regularly for Nicky Henderson. McCoy's wife Chanelle gave birth to their daughter Eve late in 2007. McCoy was made an MBE in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours List and his achievements were recognised with a reception at Stormont, the seat of government in Northern Ireland, in August, 2009
totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victories: 1997 MR MULLIGAN

KAUTO STAR (FR) FACTFILE

totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victories: 2007 KAUTO STAR, 2009 KAUTO STAR

Paul Nicholls
Paul Nicholls, the son of a policeman, was born on April 17, 1962, and has been training at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset, since taking out a licence on November 1, 1991. He started out in racing as a jump jockey and twice rode the winner of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury - in 1986 on Broadheath and a year later on Playschool, both sent out by Devon trainer David Barons. Nicholls partnered 130 winners between 1980 and 1989, struggling always to keep his weight down, and nominates the best horses he rode as Broadheath, Playschool and Seagram. Between 1989 and 1991, he was assistant trainer to Barons, who sent out Seagram to win the 1991 Grand National at Aintree during that time. He started out at Paul Barber's Manor Farm with eight horses. Having strongly challenged Martin Pipe for the jump trainers' championship over a number of years, most notably when pushing his great rival right to the last day of the 2004/05 campaign, Nicholls claimed his first title the following season, being responsible for 148 winners and gaining over £2.4 million in prize money. He retained the title the next season with 124 successes and nearly £2,950,000 in prize money. The hugely talented Kauto Star was the stable's flag bearer, with victories in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park, Sandown's Tingle Creek Chase, the King George VI Chase at Kempton, Newbury's AON Chase and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Kauto Star thus became the first horse to land the Betfair Million, the huge bonus put by the leading betting exchange for success in the Betfair Chase, King George VI Chase and totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. In the 2007/08 season, Kauto Star was runner-up in the Gold Cup but Nicholls also trained his conqueror, the mighty Denman, and ended up champion trainer again with 151 winners and over £3.6 million in prize money. In the 2008/09 season, Nicholls was champion again with his best tally yet of 155 winners and just under £3.5million in prize money. That season, Kauto Star landed a third King George VI Chase and became the first horse to reclaim the Gold Cup when defeating Denman by 13 lengths. Nicholls pulled off the amazing feat of saddling seven winners and three seconds from his 10 runners on Saturday, November 7, 1998, and made history when he became the first trainer to saddle six winners on the same card, at Wincanton, his local track, on Saturday, January 21, 2006. Another high point in his training career came at the 1999 Cheltenham Festival when he captured the major chase on each of the three days Flagship Uberalles scored in The Irish Independent Arkle Chase, Call Equiname in the Queen Mother Champion Chase the following day and, best of all, See More Business took the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Nicholls has trained 25 Cheltenham Festival winners in total, and was the most successful trainer at The Festival in 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. In 2009, as well as Kauto Star's triumph, he saddled Master Minded to a second win in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, while Big Buck's captured the staying hurdlers' crown when wining the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. Other highlights at The Festival so far include Azertyuiop's victories in The Irish Independent Arkle Trophy and the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, Paul is currently the second most successful current trainer at The Festival behind Nicky Henderson and is sixth on the all-time list. He is the most successful current handler in totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup with four victories and if he were to land the 2010 renewal, he would join the late Tom Dreaper, trainer of the legendary Arkle, as the race's winning most handler. His feat in 2009 of saddling the winners of the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup had only been achieved once before (by Jim Dreaper in 1975). His 1,000th British winner came when Noble Action won at Folkestone on November 15, 2004. This season he has saddled Denman to land a second Hennessy Gold Cup under top-weight, while Kauto Star became the first horse to win the King George VI Chase for a fourth consecutive year.
totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victories: 1999 SEE MORE BUSINESS, 2007 KAUTO STAR, 2008 DENMAN, 2009 KAUTO STAR

Ruby Walsh
Ruby Walsh is associated with the powerful stables of Paul Nicholls in Britain and Willie Mullins in Ireland. Born May 14, 1979, and based in Co. Kildare, Ireland, he is the son of 11-times Irish amateur champion jockey, Ted Walsh, now a trainer and television pundit. Ruby is the second of Walsh's four children and his younger sister Katie is a successful amateur. He secured his first success under Rules aboard Siren Song at Gowran Park on July 25, 1995, and followed in his father's footsteps when capturing the Irish amateur riders' championship at the age of 19 while still studying for his Leaving Certificate. He was crowned champion Irish National Hunt jockey in his first season as a professional (1998/99) and has taken the title a further six times (2000/2001, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09). Walsh has won the John Smith's Grand National twice on Papillon (2000) and Hedgehunter (2005). He was leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival for a fourth time (he also took the accolade in 2004, 2006 and 2008) last season with a record seven wins, including three in a row on the second day aboard Mikel D'Haguenet in the Neptune Investment Management Services Novices' Hurdle, Cooldine in the RSA Chase and Master Minded in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase. His other wins came aboard Que Vega (David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle), American Trilogy (Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle), Big Buck's (Ladbrokes World Hurdle) and Kauto Star (totesport Gold Cup). His total of 24 wins at The Festival is just one behind the record achieved by Pat Taaffe. Through his associations with Nicholls and Mullins, he has partnered many of the best jumpers of recent years including 2007 and 2009 Gold Cup winner Kauto Star, on whom he has also won four King George VI Chases and two Betfair Chases.

totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victories: 2007 KAUTO STAR, 2009 KAUTO STAR

KAUTO STAR versus DENMAN

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