Kauto Star

Kauto Star is a retired racehorse who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on two occasions. He is the only horse in the history of the race to regain the crown.

The bay gelding started his career in France where he was bred. He made his debut at the age of three at Enghien, scoring by five lengths. Eight runs followed at Auteuil before a move to the UK after he was bought by Clive Smith to join Paul Nicholls' stable.

Kauto Star's first run in England came at Newbury on December 29, 2004. He started out in a novice chase and prevailed by nine lengths.

The French-bred runner recorded his opening Grade One of his career in the 2005 Tingle Creek at Sandown. He was able to retain that crown 12 months later. 

The chaser's first attempt at a race at the Cheltenham Festival came in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2006. Nicholls' runner made a mistake at the third fence forcing him to fall when going off the 2/1 favourite.

At the 2007 Festival he made up for his error a year earlier by landing the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He joined an elusive club of horses to have won both the Tingle Creek and the blue riband event on the national hunt calendar.

Kauto Star's second Cheltenham Gold Cup arrived in 2009 when he became the first horse to regain his title. He was able to topple his stablemate and rival Denman who had beaten him to the crown in 2008.

Later in 2009 he matched Desert Orchard's record of four King George VI Chases at Kempton. In the closing stages of his career he ensured he was the king of Kempton by scoring in the contest for the fifth time in 2011. That was his last big race win as he held off the challenge of Long Run up to the line on Boxing Day.

Kauto Star's final racecourse outing came in the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup. After wins in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and the King George in December of that season, connections had high hopes once again. However, the then 12-year-old was not travelling well in the early stages, forcing jockey Ruby Walsh to pull up his mount before the 10th obstacle. The horse received a standing ovation from the crowd at Prestbruy Park on what proved to be his farewell as he was retired by Smith not long after.

Sadly on June 30 2015 it was announced that Kauto Star had been put down following a fall. The 15 year-old goes down as one of the best and most beloved horses of his generation.

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