A Cheltenham legend created by super Star

IT WAS not the tightest Gold Cup finish we have seen, nor the most exciting or gruelling. What it most certainly was, however, was the most extraordinary race in the history of the event.

And the roar of excitement from the packed stands and enclosures here at Prestbury Park which swept Kauto Star and Ruby Walsh up the fabled hill to a 13-length victory was not one borne of any normal motive. Instead it was fuelled by the collective knowledge of the 50,000 or so privileged to witness it, that they were seeing a piece of racing history that may well never be repeated.

In the annals of this storied race, no horse has ever come back from defeat to regain its crown, but yesterday both Kauto Star and Walsh defied the record book and the established laws of the Gold Cup to chisel out a unique place in racing lore.

For 12 long months, racing’s chattering classes have argued that it is impossible for a beaten Gold Cup winner to come back. Such debate was held initially in the light of the evidence of last year’s race when Kauto Star’s stablemate Denman inflicted a decisive and mortal defeat on Ruby’s mount.

The net result was that at just after 3.20pm yesterday Kauto was sent off as favourite for the Gold Cup, but that in itself was certainly no guarantee that he would win, especially with the nagging doubt that he still had the capacity, as one expert put it, “to handicap himself with mistakes”.

But there were no mistakes and no flaws. Kauto Star ran well within himself, jumping pretty much flawlessly, returning to the winners’ enclosure the rightful — and righteous — victor.

His arrival there was greeted with a passion and enthusiasm much greater than that accorded any normal favourite.

And for those present, it was not so much an “I-was-there” moment, it was the realisation that they had been part of something truly and singularly unique that will be remembered by every person — especially those privileged enough to be connected with the horse, Ruby especially — with the sort of fondness only associated with the most important landmarks in life.

Undoubtedly it is an achievement for which Ruby and Kauto Star’s trainer Paul Nicholls will be feted for the rest of their lives, no matter what else they might achieve in their respective careers.

Ruby will undoubtedly pass Pat Taaffe’s long-standing record of 25 Cheltenham festival winners — he has 24 now — and Nicholls will probably extend his record of four Gold Cup wins, but yesterday will live long in their memories because they finally cracked a Cheltenham hoodoo which lasted 85 runnings of the Gold Cup.

In analysing yesterday’s race, though, it is interesting to note the admission from Paul Nicholls that — as many had suggested — Denman had suffered greatly as a result of his heroics last year.

“Last year was a one-off blitz and it got to the bottom of him,” the trainer confessed. “Sam was under orders to ride him with more restraint this time because he was only going to finish if he was ridden sensibly.”

Denman’s co-owner Paul Barber agreed: “The horse has come back from a very deep hole. I nearly want to sit down and cry.”

But the hero of the moment was undoubtedly Kauto Star.

“He’s run a blinding race and done what Ruby and I thought he might do on the day. He was at his best today.”

For the exultant jockey — who will probably never receive a reception like he got as he passed the line — there was a simple answer to the Gold Cup victory.

“He’s and incredible horse and it was an incredible performance.”

As if blind to his own part in the victory — not to mention his seven race haul here this week — he said modestly that he was just “really lucky” to be riding for two phenomenal trainers like Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls.

Perhaps Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls would confess, if asked, that they were really lucky to have a jockey of the calibre of Ruby.

Whatever, another legend was created and anyone who was there will never forget it, not least Ruby. National Hunt racing fuels peoples’ dreams like few other sports. If you witnessed yesterday’s Gold Cup, you will know why.