When establishing Through the Sports Lens blog it was not expected horse racing would feature highly on the agenda.
Admitted, it is not the sport for me.
Many will claim “the sport of kings”, not quite such royalty in my opinion and even if you agree please do allow this post a chance.
If we are looking at the elite level of sporting achievement in a comparative sense then the retirement of Kauto Star on Wednesday in a true loss to sport.
The reality of the matter is Kauto Star was a ground-breaking, record-breaking revolutionary success to the sport of horse racing, some may say the four-legged equivalent to Usain Bolt.
It was Boxing Day last year when the 12-year-old re-wrote history by winning the King George VI Chase for the fifth time.
Kauto Star, trained by Paul Nicholls is also the only horse to have regained the Cheltenham Gold Cup having lost it completing a sensational victory in March.
Owned by Clive Smith and usually ridden by Ruby Walsh, Kauto Star won more than half of his races taking two Gold Cups, five King George Chases and four Betfair Chases on the way.
The Facts
23 wins in 41 races.
Cheltenham Gold Cup: 2007, 2009.
King George VI Chase: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011.
Betfair Chase: 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011.
Total earnings: £2.4 million.
Simply a tribute to a sporting great!
Ben Hampshire (@BH92)
Through the sports lens 