The day went really fast from this morning when I saw Kauto's pic on ATR and heard the news. I wonder why no one was informed about his situation earlier in the weekend like St Nicholas Abbey connections did at every operation that the vets performed... something is not right with these owners who keep things secret with their horses, especially with high profile ones that are part-owned by the public, like it or not!

RIP

divorce?

the whole story and time delay smacks of some sort of cover up to what really happened.

"the whole story and time delay smacks of some sort of cover up to what really happened."

I hope we have had the truth (?) Several comments on social media that things don't add up.

I feel really sorry for the horse, deserved his retirement, and sure he would have been happy spending his days with PN. We can all look back with hindsight, but I was strongly against what they done with him and wished he had stayed with PN.

An absolute legend and it was him and Denman who got me in to National Hunt back around 2007. I always favoured towards Denman who was the less fashionable of the two so it seemed but Kauto was a class act. He won Grade 1's with such ease that it just seemed like an everyday occurance. Not sure we will see horses of the like of him and Denman dominating over so many seasons again for a long time.

The most impressive thing I feel was how he held his form right until the end of his racing career. He was still winning Grade 1's approaching 12 years old. Look at Long Run and Bob's Worth. Both great horses, but their form has significantly dropped now compared to their Gold Cup wins. Kauto had his couple of ups and downs and did look done at one stage. But the fact he was able to not only get back and compete in Grade 1's but win shows the true legend of the horse.

Regarding Smith and Nicholls. Whatever peoples opinions on both men are amd I don't know them personally to comment. However from forming my opinion from seeing them both in public, I feel the whole team at Ditcheat always had Kauto's best interests in their heart. That is something I don't feel Smith had who used his horse to rub Nicholls nose in it. What was the meaning of it? Why force a 12 year old gelding who has just raced for 8 years to learn a new discipline for his final days? He owed connections nothing and watching Kauto freeze in the eventing demonstration was rather uncomfortable and not something a horse like him should have to have been put through. For that, total shame to Clive Smith. He would have been much better putting his differences aside and letting him enjoy his retirement at Ditcheat. Smith needed to remember that the horse owed him nothing.

questions we're unlikely to get answers to:

was he being ridden at the time - or othwerise supervised?
did he fall trying to jump a fence?

Injury occurred on Wednesday and yet the vets were trying to save him over the weekend? No veterinary assistance was sought immediately? Story now going that he suffered a secondary injury - the one to his neck that caused paralysis - while on stall rest and cross tied thus, I thought, unable to lie down bearing in mind the suspected pelvic fracture. Sorry - but something is not right here. Kauto Star was a living legend and earned a lot of money. Are vet bills that expensive that he wasn't immediately seen? Or was there complacency on the part of someone? I would hate to think that, when he most needed people in his life, he may have been let down. More questions than answers.

Got loose under a groom, Went into a wall head first so I heard.
The truth will out and shame on all involved as the details from Lambourne are grim as it gets.

Dunno who he was but i caught the back end of an interview yesterday, and the man spoke so well of the great horse.

I know it happens all the time and they are well looked after but him dessie and Denman where 3 that got to me.

Hope all well in Exning gutty fook knows whats gone on . . .But que serra serra.

A sad end to the greatest chaser I shall ever see in the flesh.  It was obvious Kauto Star was something special fairly early on and he was a fantastic boxing day bet.  The whole family used to have a bet and gather around to watch and that hadn't happened since Desert Orchid in the 80's.  I saw him at the track three times including the 2009 King George victory which was awsome.  I remember when he fell four out in the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup and slid on his neck for a few yards when he was close to flipping over which I am sure would have resulted in a broken neck and I thought that was a lucky escape.

Interested to read the Racing Post story today, clearly it was felt there was need to be a bit more transparent about what might of happened as yesterday it did read a bit like they hadn't appreciated how serious the situation was until four days after the accident.

Several comments on social media that things don't add up.


Yeah the Colombos on social media are really clued into the happenings of the real world

I think any respect that was left for Smith Collett and her team etc has long since gone right out of the window for the way they treated/treating the public here. They probably thinking that we are all only interested through our own pockets, only interested in a bet etc and as for nichols and team ditcheat i feel for them i really do. Met Smith on a betfair racing day at Aintree the year Ballabrigs won the National, thought then he seemed to be the most arrogant, not interested in the sport for what it is man I had ever had the misfortune to try and say hi to!

Nicholls would have played a thorough part in creating the animosity that existed between the two men.

In Smith's shoes, how can you agree to Nicholls insistence that Smith's horse should remain in Nicholls' yard?

"In Smith's shoes, how can you agree to Nicholls insistence that Smith's horse should remain in Nicholls' yard?"

In Smith's shoes I would have put differences aside and done what was in the best interest for the horse.  They all loved the horse and no doubt Kauto would have been happiest staying there.

Correct, the horse wrote his own History

Noone in racing seems interested in finding out what happened here and why would they, they've all got their noses in the trough. A shabby end for racing's greatest star is bad PR and bad for business.

like Matt Chapman?

he who pays the piper calls the tune

Indeed - as you say racing is full of sentimental nonsense covering up the fact the horses are merely tools - like a plumber's wrench. The welfare of the horses always comes a distant second to the welfare (and especially the wealth) of those who earn a living from the game.

The myth that sells racing: how these people love their horses. What about the countless useless 2yos that go to the glue factory - did their owners love them too?

"but I find the way CS handled things in the rift incredibly poor, and to see Laura Collett tweeting pictures from her photo shoot straight after a token message about Kauto was absolutely vile."

agree with that, I don't think Laura Collett had the same bond with the horse as PN and Clifford Baker.  And then she thought it was seriously cool to be part of a photoshoot after tweeting a token message about the horse and a rather unexplained accident.  CS handled it very badly, at times you have to put personal differences aside. 

As regards being over-sentimental, Kauto was just one of those very special horses like Red Rum, and I hated the route they took with him after racing, the public adoration he had was very special.