It's DENMAN!!! Smashing Winner of Cheltenham Gold Cup
Such was Denman's astonishingly authoritative victory in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1), 3m2-1/2f on the New Course, that 'to Denman' has already entered the colloquial meaning to 'demolish, devastate, annililate, terminate, lay waste, etc.'
Last year's brave champion, Kauto Star Fr (Village Star Fr), along with the five others who finished the testing race (five of thirteen were pulled up) never had a chance against his class, talent, precise jumping, endless galloping gears and stamina over 22 fences in two circuits on good-to-soft ground.
Denman Ire (Presenting) ran the same tactical race as he did in the Hennessy with grey Neptune Collanges Fr (Dom Alco Fr) setting a fine pace in the lead, Denman outside in second and Kauto Star on the rail in third.
Kauto Star, who was the highest-ranked chaser at 180 until Master Minded Fr (Nikos) won the Queen Mother Champion Chase and was given a rating of 186* by the British Horseracing Authority's official handicapper Paul Smith, was not fluid in his jumping after Denman upped the pace in the second circuit.
His jockey and trainer, Ruby Walsh and Paul Nichols, said later that they knew Kauto Star had lost the race from that point.
Denman, who travelled well through the first circuit, wanted to go into the lead and his jockey Sam Thomas let him.
The horse, who clearly loves racing, seems to reach a point in a race when he gets bored restraining his power, needs to up his gears and push his limits. Yet it is all so seamless and effortless that it does not seem fast. What we learned Friday is that he is very fast.
"He does his thing." said Thomas--as if all he has to do is steer his powerhouse. Not quite, but that sums up the trust and rapport that exists between this extraordinary horse and rider.
Once given his head in the second circuit, the big liver-chestnut gelding stretched his long legs and switched up a gear. Horses started falling away and last year's winner started making stress mistakes in jumping as if all of his old jumping problems returned.
Denman was fluid in every jump but two and made no mistakes. He travelled smoothly out front and almost imperceptively picked up another gear or two along the way--galloping the others into the ground.
All were tiring up that brutal hill, but Kauto Star took the last fence better than Neptune Collanges, found a burst of speed and got into second place. The two bravely fought it out all the way to the post which came a stride too soon for Neptune Collanges who lost second by a shoulder.
Denman was driven out to win by 7 lengths with Sam Thomas turning, standing and punching air approaching the post.
Perhaps Kauto Star was found out on stamina at this distance and on this ground, but he proved his class and guts.
Whether he can beat Denman in a rematch next year would be down to harder ground, ideal conditions and a race run to suit him and not Denman.
Since there is no reason to run Denman any other way and he will improve further, I am not hopeful for Kauto Star's chances against him.
Master Minded will be kept at 2 miles; therefore is no threat to either.
The handicapper only put Denman up to 185*--in the late Desert Orchid's class. Almost no one sees limits for this progressive horse anymore--even up to the Arkle level.
Adrian Maguire, jockey-turned-trainer, who sold Denman to Paul Nichols for owners Harry Findlay and Paul Barber said, "When I sold him to Paul Nicholls, with hand on my heart, I told him all this lad needed was a bit of luck and he would be a Gold Cup horse.
"I thought he was awesome and it did not surprise me one bit how easily he won. It's a great result for Ireland, people needed to be reminded where good horses come from and that's from the point-to-point fields."
Nichols achieved a brilliant feat in training the 1-2-3 (and Master Minded) in the Gold Cup. Yet it was not Denman he expected to win.
When his horses arrived, all attention was on the flashier Kauto Star (who knows he is a star). He was surrounded by media and cheered tumultuously onto the course.
Nonchalant Denman, who looked magnificent in his coat, was barely noticed by the media and overlooked except by his connections.
His co-owner Findlay made it clear that it niggled him that everyone including Nichols seemed to favour Kauto Star; he was determined to bring down the champion.
Findlay and co-owner Paul Barber, Nichol's landlord, plotted the race and were happy with jockey Sam Thomas. Thomas said, if he had had the choice, he would have chosen Denman and was thrilled that Ruby Walsh picked Kauto Star. He never doubted Denman could win.
Denman is through for the season. His connections are already plotting an identical plan for the next season and debating whether they should leave him with Thomas or switch to Walsh.
If they drop Thomas, some of us will Denman them. The future is glorious for those two.
*How a five-year old with limited racing experience could be handicapped higher than the former Gold Cup winner Kauto Star and the current champion who has lost only one race in his career, I cannot understand. Smith said Master Minded's performance "blew his mind"; I agree.
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