Handicappers' Corner: Kauto keeps it in the family

Paul Nicholls: Trainer of Kauto Stone.

Phil Turner takes a look back at the bets of the weekend's action...

"The King is dead. Long live the King!" Admittedly, it's doubtful whether anyone at Manor Farm Stables has uttered this cry just yet, but a haul of big-race wins this weekend for Betfair columnist Paul Nicholls gave a timely reminder to followers of his yard that it houses plenty of possible replacements to the recently-retired Kauto Star.

Kauto Star, of course, twice graced Northern Ireland's biggest day on the racing calendar when winning the JNwine.com Champion Chase in 2008 and 2010, so it was fitting that six-years-younger half-brother Kauto Stone (c161) emulated his illustrious sibling by landing the latest renewal at Down Royal on Saturday. In truth, Kauto Stone's defeat of the Gigginstown-owned pair First Lieutenant (c160) and Quito de La Roque (c159) merely represented a return to the pick of his 2011/12 form rather than any significant improvement on his part, but the six-year-old did reveal more stamina than had previously been suspected and that versatility with regards to trip will hopefully help him enjoy a more consistent campaign this time around.

Although the ground was much softer than advertised - prompting connections of Sizing Europe (c172) to withdraw the gelding on the day - it could be argued that neither of the placed horses were seen to best advantage due to Down Royal's sharp nature. First Lieutenant clearly stripped much fitter for his reappearance and dug very deep in first-time cheekpieces once headed by the winner, which suggests the placings could be reversed should the pair meet again over the coming months when faced with an even stiffer test of stamina. The latter scenario would also suit Quito de La Roque, who ran respectably in his bid to repeat last year's win in the Down Royal showpiece and was entitled to be a bit rusty after more than ten months off.

The home team again had to play second fiddle to Nicholls later on the card when Cristal Bonus (c151+), like Kauto Stone, carried Robin Geffen's colours to victory in the Grade 2 two-and-a-half mile chase. The presence of rank outsider Imperial Shabra (c124) limits the view which can be taken of this form, but Cristal Bonus had his 2011/12 novice form boosted elsewhere at the weekend and the chances are we haven't seen the very best of this second-season chaser just yet - indeed, his record since joining Nicholls is three wins and one second from four completed starts.

Not content with his lucrative trip to County Down, Nicholls also landed the two big prizes at Wetherby's main autumn card and, similarly, neither of the successful horses needed to improve on their previous best to do so. That said, Silviniaco Conti (c162+) was suitably impressive in winning the Charlie Hall Chase, in the process providing his stable with its third winner in the race (which Kauto Star never contested). As when winning smoothly at Aintree on the final start of his novice chase campaign, Saturday's result isn't the easiest piece of form to assess given that several of his rivals clearly weren't at their best - it was left to 33/1 outsider Wayward Prince (c146) to chase him home, albeit eleven lengths adrift. What isn't in doubt, however, is that Silviniaco Conti is well up to mixing it at Grade 1 level and is clearly one of the leading home-trained performers from last season's crop of staying novices - a rematch with either Grands Crus (c160p) or Bobs Worth (c162p), whom he split in the Feltham at Kempton last winter, would be very interesting.

Father Time suggests that Tidal Bay (c165$, h156$) won't form part of the stable's Cheltenham Gold Cup challenge come next March, but the Ditcheat team seem to have found the key to this mercurial performer for the time being and he's clearly every bit as good as ever judging by Saturday's win in the West Yorkshire Hurdle, when outstaying Crack Away Jack (h152+) under a canny Ruby Walsh ride. Another tilt at the Grand National could be on the cards later in the campaign.

The Aintree marathon also appeals as a possible target for the giant Roberto Goldback (c161), who looked an improved performer (despite the fact he's rising eleven) when running away with Saturday's United House Gold Cup at Ascot on his debut for Nicky Henderson. The gelding has had rather a patchy record in Ireland for both Jessica Harrington and Dessie Hughes in recent seasons, but he's acquitted himself well in Grade 1 company on several occasions and he may well prove more consistent for his new connections. Another former Dessie Hughes inmate Frisco Depot (c146) also shaped well prior to falling heavily late on in the same race and, provided none the worse for that nasty experience, could well prove competitive in similarly valuable staying company this winter off his current mark.

It proved a red letter day for Roberto Goldback's new owner Simon Munir, as his colours were also carried to glory by Une Artiste at Wetherby (h139) and Raya Star (h157) earlier on at Ascot. The latter's victory under top weight in a fiercely-competitive two-mile handicap makes for very good reading, particularly as he rallied strongly in the latter stages to see off three unexposed second-season hurdlers in It's A Gimme (h142), Claret Clock (h138p) and War Singer (h129). A strongly-run two miles clearly suits Raya Star down to the ground and, given he's shown steady improvement granted such a scenario over the past eighteen months (four wins from last seven starts), it's not out of the question he could even develop into a Champion Hurdle contender (albeit for minor honours) come next March.  

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