Kauto stars again at Haydock

Kauto Star proved he is still the best chaser in the land as he bounced back to his brilliant best to win the Betfair Chase at Haydock for a second successive year.

Travelling sweetly for new jockey Sam Thomas, a huge leap at the third-last took him clear of My Way De Solzen.

However, Exotic Dancer, who chased home Kauto Star in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, emerged as a real threat after the last.

But Paul Nicholls’ stable star, the 4-5 favourite, showed real grit and determination to win by half a length.

Ollie Magern set his usual furious pace up front but the main protagonists had caught up by the fifth-last, where Kauto Star jumped to the front.

Robert Thornton was oozing confidence on My Way De Solzen and appeared to be travelling as well as anything before weakening rapidly after the second-last.

Barry Geraghty, riding Exotic Dancer for the first time, tracked Kauto Star until after the final fence but Thomas’ mount showed just why he is a champion by holding off the challenge.

Beef Or Salmon ran on to claim third.

There had been plenty doubting Kauto Star after a lacklustre run at Aintree, where he was beaten by Monet's Garden.

But as Nicholls was quick to point out afterwards, in attempting to give Nicky Richards’ grey over a stone in weight, he faced almost an impossible task.

The champion trainer said: “We’re back on track, not that we were ever off it.

“I was never as disappointed last time as everybody else.”

Nicholls went on: ``Paddy (Brennan, on Ollie Magern) went bursting off in front and Sam had to change the tactics as we were going to drop him in.

“He then got left in front a little bit, but he has done the right thing and the horse has jumped and travelled.

“I said last time he would need the run at Aintree and there aren’t many three-mile chasers who would have laid up with Monet’s Garden that day.

“This and the Gold Cup have always been his targets, obviously there is one in between (King George VI Chase) but the Gold Cup is the race I want to win with him now.

“This shows we are back where we were.”