Kauto’s class should tell in Gold Cup cliffhanger

9:20am Friday 14th March 2008

EVERY now and then a horse race captures the public imagination and they don't come much better than Kauto Star versus Denman in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The two sharp-shooters have never gone head-to-head or toeto- toe before, which has added extra spice to the media hype, which is now positively feverpitch.

Great is an over-used adjective in sport, but the Paul Nicholls-trained superstars deserve the epithet, having both scaled the heights during the past couple of years.

Their joint achievements are far too long to list, although a brief walk down memory lane for a short potted history of the dynamic duo is thoroughly worthwhile.

Dual King George winner, plus reigning Gold Cup holder, Kauto Star, is the sort of highclass jumping phenomenon not seen since the days of the legendary Arkle.

Denman's chasing career started a bit later, therefore to some extent the giant gelding has been playing catch-up over recent seasons.

He is, however, getting there hand-over-fist. First he landed the 2007 Sun Alliance Chase, and eight months later scored a runaway success in the Hennessy Gold Cup.

Denman has since won the Lexus Chase in Ireland, plus his Newbury prep in a common canter, while Kauto Star brushed aside some high-class opponents at Ascot.

Personally I'd love to see a dead-heat, but that's a million to one shot and loath as I am to split the pair, Kauto Star (3.30) it is for me.

Wednesday's abandonment means packing another eight races in apart from the Gold Cup, kicking off with the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle.

Emma Lavelle, who broke her festival duck on Tuesday, could easily double-up with Labelthou (12.30), the mount of Timmy Murphy.

Murphy was in the saddle when Labethou beat two of today's rivals, Refinement and Gapsara, neither of whom should reverse the Ascot placings.

Group Captain (1.05) is many folks' idea of the week's banker bet in the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle.

Alan King's representative was a useful middle-distance performer on the Flat for Roger Charlton, so it's no surprise to see him excelling over hurdles.

Improving with each outing, Group Captain completed his build-up by clearing right away from a fair field when winning a Listed contest at Exeter.

My money is also on the same trainer/jockey combo of Alan King and Robert Thornton to win the next couple of races via Junior and Franchoek.

Junior (1.40), badly hampered in the 2007 Fred Winter, looks a solid each-way player for the Coral Cup, having warmed up with a cracking Huntingdon second.

The JCB Triumph Hurdle is the target for Franchoek, hotfavourite to follow in the footsteps of stablemate and last year's winner, Katchit.

Katchit completed a famous double by claiming Tuesday's Champion Hurdle, something doubtless Franchoek will aspire to in due course.

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