Kauto Stars At Jumps Awards

Kauto Star swept the board when picking up an unprecedented four titles ? including Horse Of The Year ? at the second annual Anglo-Irish Jump Racing Awards at the Cafe Royal in central London.

The ceremony saw the Paul Nicholls-trained totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner come out the champion two-mile chaser, champion two-and-a-half-mile chaser and the champion three-mile-plus chaser.

His highest rating came in the latter category where he was awarded a figure of 179, with his nearest rival and Gold Cup runner-up Exotic Dancer earning a mark of 172.

British Horseracing Board head of handicapping Phil Smith said: 'It speaks volumes for the horse´s ability and the sporting nature of connections. The average jumps horse runs 3.8 times in a season whereas he ran six times, and he won a handicap at Aintree off 168 and there are few horses who could do that.

'We gave him his figure of 179 on the back of his Haydock win, when most people looked at the race and thought ?wow, that is a serious performer´.

'We thought he should get credit for the manner of his victory, but we could only rate him against what he beat. If he was running against the likes of Moscow Flyer and Well Chief then his mark could be significantly higher.'

Kauto Star was awarded a mark of 175 for his two-and-a-half-mile victory and 176 over two miles, while Nicholls´ Denman, winner of the Royal & SunAlliance Chase winner, is rated 161 and top of the novice chasing division.

Smith said: 'It was hard to put a figure on Denman and he could be better than we rated him as he has not been stretched.

'It will be interesting when he steps up to the Gold Cup next year as Paul Nicholls will have so many candidates and it will add a real spice to the season.

'But Denman will have to improve a fair if he is to beat Kauto Star.'

Mighty Man lost out to Inglis Drever in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle but Henry Daly´s diminutive star shone on his favoured hunting ground at Aintree, and his connections picked up the trophy for champion two-and-a-half-mile-plus hurdler.

Hardy Eustace and Sublimity came out joint-top on a mark of 166 in the two-mile hurdling division.

The former is a dual winner of the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and slammed Brave Inca to land this year´s Irish Champion Hurdle, while Sublimity raced only twice and surged clear from those rivals to collect at Cheltenham.

Nicholls again collected the trophy for British champion trainer, while Tony McCoy was champion jockey, Tom O´Brien champion conditional jockey and JP McManus was welcomed to the stage to be crowned champion British owner.

(C) PA Sport