Kauto and Commander on same performance mark

By Martin Kelly

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

KAUTO STAR and Imperial Commander have been awarded a joint-performance figure of 174 following their thrilling battle in last Saturday’s Betfair Chase.

The British Horseracing Authority’s head of handicapping Phil Smith felt the pair, trained by Paul Nicholls and Nigel Twiston-Davies, deserved the same mark after being separated by just a nose.

Smith said: "In circumstances like this, I often use historical context as a way of assessing horses against the top chasers from the recent past.

"Exotic Dancer received 172 when he got within a length of Kauto Star in the race a few years ago when they were 18 lengths ahead of Beef Or Salmon.

"Imperial Commander’s run looked slightly better than that performance.

Smith has left Kauto Star’s official rating at 186 but Imperial Commander has made a massive leap after tackling the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner from a mark of 165.

Meanwhile, dual Champion Chase winner Master Minded will miss out on a bid for a repeat win in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday week as Paul Nicholls works to discover the reason for his hanging right-handed.

The prolific six-year-old displayed the uncharacteristic trait on his seasonal bow at Cheltenham when he continually lugged out to his right before weakening back to third behind Well Chief.

The pair had been due to clash again on December 5, but with Master Minded due to have a bone scan on Thursday the rematch has been put on hold.

Nicholls said: "There is something niggling him and we need to get the bottom of it. He will go for a bone scan in Newmarket on Thursday."

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, November 25, 2009