Why Denman will beat Kauto Star ...

Who's got the ability to defeat the dual Gold Cup winner Kauto Star ? Given his latest romp in the King George VI Chase (Gr I)...There aren't many candidates... There's just one. Denman. Not only "the tank" is its unique challenger, but he is the one who's about to end Kauto's reign in March...So why Denman will beat Kauto Star in the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup ?


If Denman was a man he would be 7 ft tall and would weigh around 300 pounds. Not only would he be a giant, but he would be articulate, agile, fit and toned. Denman's physique is impressive and so is his ability to deal with the hardest fences in the world. He has never been in the Grand National, but when you see Denman's agility, would you honestly think, Aintree would pose any kind of problem ? In all honesty, I don' t think so... The fact is Denman is the most fluent over fences. He is so spontaneous...he's sometimes unreal.

One has to admit that Kauto Star (FR) is an exceptional horse, a true champion, who has achieved what only Desert Orchid has achieved in the King George VI and Kauto Relka's son is a "special horse". I would say that right-handed, he is untouchable. No one, even Denman , or any given chaser can't even think about approaching him. He is too far ahead. He has got no one to match him. The only horse that can match him is himself. Meaning, he 'll lose only if he fells. Otherwise, he is just untrue on a right-handed track.

That's Denman's weakness. Denman is not a fan of Kempton and isn't so easy right-handed. He is so powerful and fluent that he's at his best on undulating, tough, left-handed galloping tracks. Like Cheltenham. Aintree is too flat for him. After he 's had his heart operation, Denman came back a few weeks later to finish 7 lengths behind Kauto Star in the 2009 Gold Cup. What an extraordinary performance !!!


There's just a word to describe such an achievement : "Class" . Would you be able to run a 1 500 metres after having a fibrillating heart a few months earlier ? And finish 10 metres behind the reigning world champion ?

Sam Thomas' mount did. Denman did. He is so gifted, and I'm very convinced he is even more natural and flawless than Kauto Star when it comes to jump technique. I believe the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup is a very obvious matter. If and if only Denman's back to his best, which might be the case (His 2009 Hennessy Gold Cup win at Newbury is a good indicator) in March 2010? Then...then.. There will be no rematch. Denman's going to beat Kauto.

Plain and simple. At his best, he'll set a frantic tempo, and will dishearten his rivals one after the other. Even Kauto will struggle to follow in the final 500 yards, that's for sure, because that's what happened in 2008 an 2010 is about to repeat !! To say the truth, I am happy about that. I am a Denman fan. I am French, so is Kauto Star, but Denman is truly the greatest at Cheltenham. If he is at his top of his game, physically, he will beat Kauto and anyone else.
See you in March.