With Paul Nicholls officially backing Kauto Star to win a Cheltenham Gold Cup being billed as the battle of the century, Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting has delved beneath the hype to discover whether Kauto Star is truly deserving of his plaudits.

Kauto Star Record and Statistics
Bred by Henri Aubert, Kauto Star was sired by top French runners Kauto Relka and Village Star. Trained by Paul Nicholls, Kauto Star is the most highly rated national hunt racehorse since the great Desert Orchid.

Despite his undoubted talent, Kauto Star cannot lay claim to a flawless record. He began his career in national hunt racing over hurdles, taking 4 wins from 10 starts and finishing placed on another 4 occasions.

Kauto Star’s record improved significantly once he switched to fences as he claimed 11 wins from 15 starts, with 3 second place finishes to his credit. His poorest performance in a steeplechase was his fall at the 2006 Queen Mother Champion Chase, an incident that earned him a reputation as an error prone runner.

Kauto Star’s best race to date was the Betfair Chase, which earned him the highest race rating in over a decade from the Racing Post. His ability to win whilst carrying top weight has contributed to his legend. With 5 of his wins achieved whilst carrying a weight of 11st 10lbs, it is easy to see why Kauto Star is regarded by some as being virtually invincible.

Kauto Star will be partnered by Ruby Walsh at the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Together the pair have accounted for 9 of Kauto Star’s wins since switching to fences.