TWO-time Cheltenham Gold Cup victor Kauto Star has passed away after sustaining a fracture to his pelvis following a fall.
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That convinced Nicholls to give him another run in the 2012 Gold Cup despite an injury putting his participation in doubt and although there was to be no fairytale ending as Kauto Star pulled up with Synchronised going on to win the race, he was given a heart-warming round of applause by the Cheltenham crowd as he left the track.
“We are not really sure how he did it, but he injured himself – and it became obvious it was serious”, Smith said.
Kauto Star, who won the King George VI Chase at Kempton five times in addition to the two Gold Cup wins, was one of the most popular horses of recent times.
Nicholls also took to social media to pay tribute to his star performer. I’m obviously mortified. “He was like my best mate, really”.
“Look at what he did in 2006/07”, Walsh continued: “He won his first Betfair Chase [two miles] at Haydock and then two weeks later won the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown [three miles]”.
Ed Gillespie, who was in charge of Cheltenham Racecourse during Kauto’s successes in 2007 and 2009 said: “I was at Paul Nicholls’ yard yesterday and saw the plaques for winning horses – Kauto has an entire wall. I’ve been very lucky to have trained some incredible horses, but I’ve always said he’s once in a lifetime”.
The horse’s owner, Clive Smith, revealed that his condition deteriorated over the weekend with the injury having been sustained several days ago. He had found the worthy rival that every champion needs to establish a legend’s status, and in 2009, he reversed the form, becoming the first horse ever to reclaim the Gold Cup.
Top jockey Tom Scudamore described Kauto Star as “the best horse I’ve seen and ridden against”.
Referring to the report, Smith told At The Races: “He was not responding to treatment on Thursday and Friday and various complications came over the weekend”. But he was put down on Monday afternoon on the advice of veterinary experts.
He added: “The vets made him comfortable but the kindest thing was to euthanise him”.
“It was a awful moment”.
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The horse’s record in major race meets was remarkable.
