Kempton report:Kauto Star lived up to his billing in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton Park yesterday. The anticipation of the six-year-old's assault on the famous festive prize had tempered the chill in the air, with Paul Nicholls' exciting youngster locking horns with the up-and-coming Monet's Garden and Racing Demon in front of packed stands.
But neither could live with the Ruby Walsh-ridden 8 to 13 favourite as he survived horrendous mistakes at both the fourth-last and last fences to see off Exotic Dancer (9 to 1) by eight lengths, with Racing Demon one-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
The triumph took the Clive Smith-owned Kauto Star's unbeaten stretch in top company to three, and the bookmakers make him a short-priced favourite to extend that to four in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
The sponsors were most impressed and went 5 to 4 about his chance in the blue riband, with Cashmans, William Hill, Ladbrokes and Stan James 6 to 4, while Coral and Bet Direct offer a standout 2 to 1.
Walsh had kept his mount close to the front-running Ollie Magern and Monet's Garden in the early stages of the three-mile showpiece, and the pair started to eat into the lead at the 11th of the 18 fences.
A terrible error soon followed, and after Monet's Garden cried enough swinging for home, Walsh appeared to have a fight on his hands as Racing Demon went with him and Kauto Star came off the bridle for the first time this winter.
But he has the guts to match his class, and after going on again approaching the third-last, he was always making the best of his way home and won in style, despite ploughing through the final obstacle.
Nicholls said: "We planned to ride him like we did in the Tingle Creek here - have him about fourth and be positive.
"His best round of jumping was at Haydock when we just dropped him in. Today we couldn't do that, but he kept galloping.
"He is not 100 per cent foot-perfect, so we kept him wide; there was no point creeping down the inner."
Looking back on his charge's final-fence blunder, Nicholls added: "He wasn't concentrating. There's the big crowd and the big screen and he's just taken his eye off it. He just stepped at it, but he never looks like falling.
"He can make mistakes, but let's not talk about his jumping as he keeps winning and that is what matters."
And hitting the jackpot in the feature race was a bonus for the trainer, after some of his well-fancied runners earlier in the day failed to read the script.
He continued: "The rest of the day hasn't gone so well, so it was a relief to get this over. He will probably have one more run before Cheltenham in the Aon at Newbury (February 10th), and if it poured down he could go for the Game Spirit.
"He will then go for the Gold Cup unless it is a total bog, and we will ride him more like we did at Haydock - drop him in and take our time."
Kauto Star's victory puts him 35 points clear of Noble Request in the BHB's order of merit with a total of 75 points, and he is still eligible for the £1 million bonus offered by Betfair if he adds the Gold Cup to his haul.
Niall "Slippers" Madden made his visit to Kempton a winning one when guiding the Noel Meade-trained Jazz Messenger to success in the Stan James Christmas Hurdle. His four-length victory aboard the 10 to 1 shot also gave Meade his second win in race following Harchibald's success two years ago.
Madden was left in front on Jazz Messenger when Afsoun crashed out at the fifth flight. Approaching the turn for home, the 4 to 6 favourite Straw Bear was breathing down his neck, but even the assistance of champion jockey Tony McCoy could not get the market leader past the Irish raider.
Madden then had to be at his strongest to fend off the challenge of Noble Request, but his mount stayed on well to the line.
Desert Quest finished a further six lengths away in third, just three-quarters of a length ahead of Straw Bear, who left connections perplexed by his tame effort.
Meade is now left with an embarrassment of riches for the Champion Hurdle, with 2005 runner-up Harchibald and the unexposed Iktitaf under his care.
Meade's partner and assistant, Gillian O'Brien, said: "That was very impressive wasn't it? When he ran in the Supreme last year his jumping wasn't that good, but he was only five lengths behind Straw Bear.
"He won two good races on the Flat this autumn and has got a lot stronger. When he ran at Thurles last week we thought that if he jumped he would have a good chance today. The plan was if we weren't going to make it, to be up with the pace and I wasn't concerned when he was left in front.
"With Iktitaf and Harchibald I don't know where he'll go next, but he is a force to be reckoned with."
Madden added: "I love it here at Kempton now. He travelled great but he doesn't pick up quickly - he just keeps going and stretching. His jumping was a problem last season, but he has got it together.
