Ruby Walsh says Kauto Star is a better horse now than he was this time last year when he landed a third William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton Park. The Irish jockey will attempt to partner the nine-year-old to a record fourth consecutive King George at Kempton on Boxing Day and he can’t wait to get on with his bid to make history.

Kauto Star odds on for King George

He told sportinglife.com: “I would say Kauto Star is as good if not better than last year. Last year he went to Down Royal and won an ordinary race and then went back to Haydock where he might or might not have won when he unseated Sam (Thomas) at the last. At least this year he’s going there on the back of a win and he seems to be in good form. Kempton’s been a very lucky track to me over the last couple of years and Kauto Star has been outstanding there. It’s a race I really look forward to and I can’t wait for it to come around. Kauto’s been a brilliant horse for my career. He’s an outstanding horse and to be associated with him is incredible. I’m looking forward to riding him and if he could win four King George‘s he will go down in history.”

Walsh was on board Kauto Star for his seasonal reappearance in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, where he beat Imperial Commander by the narrowest of margins in a dramatic photo finish.



Trainer Paul Nicholls said Kauto Star would improve for the run, but Walsh concedes that Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse is a major threat to his horse on that running.

He continued: “I suppose he is a threat. If you take the form literally he has to be. That said, Imperial Commander seems to be a better horse going in the opposite direction, but he ran a cracking race in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and he has to have a good chance. However, a top-form Kauto Star would be nigh on impossible to beat around Kempton and Walsh says all the signs are there that he’s well in himself and ready to go. It’s pretty hard for me to tell how well he is at home but Paul sees him every morning so he’s a better judge of that than me, and he thinks he’s improved considerably so I’ll take his word for it and hope he’s right,” said Walsh. Clifford Baker rode him in his work with Big Buck’s last Wednesday and he was very happy with him. He’s been happy with him in all of his work so if he’s happy then I’m happy.”

Paul Nicholls also offered positive reports earlier about Kauto Star.

Come on Kauto Star!



THIRTEEN RIVALS FOR KAUTO STAR! WILLIAM HILL KING GEORGE HERO 4-7 FOR A FOURTH HISTORIC WIN

William Hill King George VI favourite Kauto Star remains on target for an historic fourth consecutive win in the race after connections declared the chaser at the five-day stage today.

The nine-year-old was among 14 acceptors in today’s process and remains the firmly odds-on 4/7 favourite for the 59th running of the race. His Haydock rival Imperial Commander ranks as the 6-1 second-favourite, with Madison du Berlais third-in at 8-1.

Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said: ‘’Punters seem to have ‘Kauto Star fever’ at the moment, and can’t stop backing him to gain his fourth win. It’s a one-horse book at this stage, but although a win by him will certainly wound us, there is a general consensus at William Hill that this is one result that transcends the bottom line.’’

William Hill King George VI Chase: 4-7 Kauto Star, 6-1 Imperial Commander, 8-1 Madison Du Berlais, 14-1 Deep Purple, Nacarat, 16-1 Barbers Shop, 20-1 Albertas Run, 40-1 Our Vic, 50-1 Tartak 66-1 Master Medic, Racing Demon, Roll Along, 100-1 Ollie Magern, 500-1 Sandymac (EW 1/4 1,2,3)

William Hill King George without Kauto Star: 11-4 Imperial Commander, 7-2 Madison Du Berlais, 6-1 Barbers Shop, Deep Purple, Nacarat, 10-1 Albertas Run, 16-1 Our Vic, 20-1 Tartak, 33-1 Master Medic, Racing Demon, Roll Along, 40-1 Ollie Magern, 200-1 Sandymac (EW 1/4 1-2-3)



****William Hill King George VI Chase Specials****

How Far Will Kauto Star Win By?: 16-1 Under 1 Length, 12-1 One to 1 3/4 lengths, 10-1 Two to three and 3/4 lengths, 3-1 Four to 10 lengths, 9-2 Over 10 lengths

Kauto Star Special: 7-2 Kauto Star to win the William Hill King George & Gold Cup

Age of the winner: 28-1 Six, 14-1 Seven, 7-4 eight, 8-15 nine, 25-1 eleven

Tony McCoy believes “only the weather” can prevent Kauto Star from making history on Boxing Day by becoming the first horse to win the King George VI Chase in four consecutive years.

The 14-time champion jockey renews rivalry with the dual Gold Cup hero aboard Albertas Run, on whom he was an eight-length runner-up to Kauto Star at Kempton last season.

But McCoy feels his mount, and the other 12 possible runners, face a hopeless task in trying to beat the Paul Nicholls-trained superstar.

“As we all know, Kauto Star is going to win,” declared McCoy, whose views can be heard on Betfred Talk from 11.30am every day until the end of December.

“He looks impossible to beat, but Albertas Run was a good second to him last year and hopefully that gives him a good chance of being in the money again.

“I can only see the weather upsetting Kauto Star. He’s an amazing horse to have achieved what he has – two Tingle Creeks over two miles, three King Georges and two Gold Cups. He’s an outstanding racehorse and will be very hard to beat.”

McCoy’s other high-profile mount on Boxing Day is Binocular, who aims to revive his Champion Hurdle claims in the Christmas Hurdle following his ‘Fighting Fifth’ flop last time out.

“Nicky Henderson is very happy with Binocular,” said McCoy. “Hopefully he will put his disappointing run at Newcastle behind him, we’ll see the real Binocular at Kempton and he will get back into the Champion Hurdle picture. I’m very hopeful he can get back to his best and I don’t see any reason why he can’t.

“I just don’t think he performed at Newcastle for whatever reason. I don’t think it was anything to do with the slow pace. I think he just wasn’t himself. We are all entitled to an off day, so hopefully that was his.”



Kauto Star has at least nine pounds in hand of his William Hill King George rivals, according to Timeform.

Paul Nicholls’ charge is 8-13 on Betfair to win the race for a fourth successive time and all his opposition in the race are very easy to back, with Imperial Commander next best on the exchange at 13-2.

And the good news is that the meeting remains a 1-4 chance to go ahead on Betfair, despite another sub-zero night for all in the UK.

Kieran Packman, Timeform’s spokesman, commented: “Kauto Star has firmly established himself in our eyes as the best staying chaser since Desert Orchid and it will be most fitting if he can match that horse’s outstanding record of four King George victories.

“His trio of wins at Kempton have been amongst the most visually impressive of his career and we expect another authoritative display. The closest challenger on ratings is his narrow Haydock victim Imperial Commander, but a small doubt persists about whether that horse can run to his very best on a right-handed course.”

To win the King George – Betfair bet: 8-13 Kauto Star, 13-2 Imperial Commander, 10-1 Madison Du Berlais, 17-1 Deep Purple, 22-1 Nacarat, 27-1 Barbers Shop, 29-1 Albertas Run , 84-1+ others

Will Racing Go Ahead at Kempton on 26th December – Betfair bet: 1-4 Yes, 3-1 No.

Kempton clerk of the course Barney Clifford was optimistic that the big two-day Christmas meeting would survive the cold weather that has hit Britain with a vengeance in the past week.

Clifford said on Monday evening: “We’re raceable and, while we have a forecast indicating that overnight temperatures will be as low as -3C over the next two nights, we expect temperatures to rise heading towards Christmas and Boxing Day, which makes us very optimistic.

“We are set to have a high of between 5C and 6C on Boxing Day and, given that forecast, we do not foresee any problems.”
This is an excellent tribute to Kauto Star….

Back or Lay with Betfair…