Kauto Star to turn his hoof to dressage?
A statue of Kauto Star was unveiled on Saturday (24 November) at Haydock Park, when the four-time Betfair Chase winner also paraded for his fans.
And Kauto could well turn his hoof to dressage, now Paul Nicholls’ stable star has been retired from racing.
“Kauto is a smart and intelligent horse and in the long-term he needs to be doing something,” said owner Clive Smith.
“We thought he might be suitable for dressage. We don’t want to risk him at all and will just have to see what happens.”
Kauto’s former stablemate Neptune Collonges has just embarked on a winning start to his dressage career — so maybe the pair, who last faced each other in the 2011 Gold Cup, will go up against each other again.
Clive added that the 12-year-old gelding was in good health.
“Kauto Star is a really super animal. He had a huge heart, was very intelligent and a great jumper. He was the perfect racehorse. He is in very good order.
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“He still loves being the centre of attention. He will be at Sandown in a couple of weeks for the Tingle Creek and will parade at Kempton on Boxing Day for the King George so he is keeping busy at the moment.”
Clifford Baker, Kauto’s regular rider, and Paul Nicholls’ head lad, added: “You can see how well he is — bright and alert, as normal really. He could probably race today. But you have to make a decision to retire sometime.
“He has plenty of quirks, his sharpness is the main one, you can see what he is like, he misses nothing, he is like that the whole time — you can never rest on your laurels when you are around him. You have always got to be awake with him.
“He’s been such a big part of my life for so long — to do what he has done is amazing from my point of view to and for everybody who has worked with him. It has been a privilege to have been able to do it.”
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.