Ray Burroughs' Racing Column
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Kauto Star and Denman set to battle it out at Cheltenham
The countdown to the Cheltenham Festival began last week with Kauto Star and Denman heading the 2008 entries.
It promises to be one of the most fascinating renewals in the history of the race, with
reigning champion Kauto Star poised to battle the brilliant Denman, his stablemate and pretender to jump racing's ultimate crown.
The Paul Nicholls trained pair are among 42 entries for the £450,000 highlight of the four day Festival at Cheltenham on Tuesday 11 to Friday March 14.
The entry also includes the almost forgotten 2005 totesport Gold Cup hero Kicking King, like Kauto Star, a duel winner of the King George V1 Chase.
Kauto Star has won seven Grade One chases at distances ranging from two miles of Sandown's Tingle Creek Chase to the extended three and a quarter miles of the Gold Cup.
Owner Clive Smith's pride and joy was the undisputed star of the 2006/07 season where he completed a six race unbeaten campaign when holding Exotic Dancer by two and a half lengths at the festival.
Kauto Star is 11/10 favourite with the sponsors to become the seventh multiple winner of the Gold Cup in it's 84 year history.
His most recent victory saw him gallop to a 11length triumph over Our Vic in the King George on Boxing day.
Two days later stablemate Denman vanquished a top class field in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown to consolidate his position as 7/4 second favourite with totesport.
The Irish triumph may not have been as impressive as the eight year olds earlier 11 length win under top weight in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury, but it did confirm the belief that the resolute galloper could be the horse to push Kauto Star to his limits.
Backers looking for a guide to the Festival will be keeping a watchful eye on this Saturday's Champion Hurdle trial at Haydock which could see a few contenders for the Cheltenham crown in action.
Trainer Nick Gifford has said his entry Straw Bear is in great shape but will wait to see what the going is like at Haydock later in the week.
Regular jockey Tony McCoy is in the side lines following his horrific fall last weekend and a decision over who deputises for him will be left to his owner JP McManus.
Other entries include the Nicky Henderson trained Afsoun, Percussionist trained by J Howard Johnson and Regal Heights. Should Straw Bear not make it to the post the selection is for the Lambourn trained Afsoun.
At Ascot all eyes will be on the Paul Nicholls trained Twist Magic, favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham. Impressive winner of the Tingle Creek he will be joined by stable companion Hoo La Baloo in what could be a first and second for the Nicholls stable in the Victor Chandler Chase, the second of three races televised by BBC1. Main danger could come from the Irish trained Mansony and Pablo Du Charmil and Tamarinbleu from the David Pipe yard .
The Connaught Cup Handicap Chase is the feature race of the day at Wincanton where Connaught sponsors all the six races on the card.
A tentative selection for the feature race is Leading Authority, the mount of Joe Tizzard.
All weather flat racing fans are catered for with a seven race card at Lingfield where each way backers could consider a small each way bet on the locally trained Dickie Valentine in the first race on the card.
Irish raider Monadreen Flyer could well lift the six furlong handicap and Bonus could complete a three timer for trainer Gerard Butler and jockey Hayley Turner.
Wolverhampton's popular Saturday evening fixture under lights begins at 6.50 where likely winners could be Silver Hotspur and solicitude.
Point to Point.
The first point to point meeting at Barbary Castle took place at the weekend and despite snow on the course overnight the two day Owners and Riders Club meeting survived an early morning inspection and got underway on schedule.
Club chairman Nick Bush blamed the weather for the sparse crowd that attended the meeting and added : "There were eight races on both days with top quality point to point racing. No single jockey hogged the headlines with just one ride Mark Wall riding two winners.
"We were very fortunate to have Irish Thoroughbred Marketing sponsoring the Open on Saturday, they also sponsor two top flat races - The Cherry Hinton and Gimcrack Stakes. We are grateful to all our sponsors and of course the Barbary Castle racecourse."
The meeting got underway with a couple of shock winners when View Hollo 50/1 ridden by Ran Morgan won Division One of the Intermediate event with 25/1 shot Holly Walk winning Division Two.
Four favourite obliged on Sunday headed by Polly Gundry on board the loacally trained Twenty Degrees and Sam Waley- Cohen winning on the odds on Mel In Blue.
9:47am Thursday 17th January 2008
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