‘This could be the greatest National Hunt race ever’

It is being touted as the greatest Gold Cup match-up since Arkle took on Mill House in 1964, but this year’s duel between Kauto Star and Denman has a very personal context for legendary gambler Harry Findlay. Declan Colley reports.

THE REFINED country gentleman and the back-alley huckster - they don’t make up a comfortable stereotype as a pairing.

Paul Barber is the tweedy, well-spoken and gentrified type; Harry Findlay is the bare-knuckle spiv. They are hardly complementary, but due to happenstance and a curious twist of fortune they jointly own Denman, the horse they believe with strip Kauto Star of his Gold Cup crown.