Hero's welcome for Kauto Star
He looked a picture of health as he came home from jump racing's biggest festival in the spring sunshine to Paul Nicholls' Ditcheat yard, before being paraded in the village in front of a 1,000-strong crowd of well wishers.
After being galloped into submission by stablemate Denman a year ago, the nine-year-old majestically returned to Prestbury Park racecourse last Friday and repeated his success of 2007 – the first horse ever to regain the Gold Cup crown.
Champion trainer Nicholls has confirmed the horse had run his final race of the season, but he raised the tantalising possibility of him tackling the blue riband event for another three years.
Bookies make him their 5-2 favourite to emulate Best Mate and Arkle with three championship wins next March, although if looked after he could extend his racing career further.
Nicholls said: "He could run in the next three Gold Cups if we keep him right and he stays injury free. He is nine now and could go on to 10, 11 or even 12.
"There can't be any argument about him now and he is one of the greatest horses we have seen for a long, long time to win the race he has.
"He is such a professional. We got him home last night and he ate up like he had just done a day's work."
Kauto Star and Denman led the Gold Cup fourth-placed horse Neptune Collonges in the parade, who had Champion Chase winner Master Minded, Ladbrokes World Hurdle winner Big Buck's and Champion Hurdle runner-up Celestial Halo in behind.
Nicholls ended the festival with five wins, the most any trainer has recorded at the meeting and his success was splashed across all the Saturday newspapers.
Nicholls said: "It has been great this morning, talking to all sorts of people from different walks of lives and seeing how much it means to them.
"It has been a great festival for jump racing. The racing has been good and Kauto is great for everybody.
"I know now he is better off being super fit and fresh, and when he is like that, he is lethal.
"It is amazing and I am so lucky to be in the position I am with the team, facilities, horses and owners behind me."
Kauto Star's owner Clive Smith was also on hand to pose with his Gold Cup trophy, and there were no long faces of 12 months ago with Denman running beyond expectation after an interrupted campaign.
"Last year was quite hard as I was disappointed Kauto got beat and Denman won but there was none of that yesterday as Kauto won, which was brilliant, and Denman was a winner in defeat," Nicholls said.
However, the gallant pair are finished until the autumn.
"I had a chat with Clive this morning and we have decided that Kauto is not going to run again this year," Nicholls explained.
"He is a Gold Cup winner so we won't run him again and he can come back next year, probably at Down Royal."
Comment on this story