King Kauto has been retired.
The outstanding chaser, who won two Cheltenham Gold Cups and five King George VIs at Kempton, will always be remembered as one of racing's great horses.
The 12-year-old, trained by Paul Nicholls and owned by Clive Smith, bows out with dignity and pride after a fantastic career.
For me, I have grown up with Kauto Star and when I first started gaining an interest in the sport he was always there in the headlines. I have always admired him so it is a sad sight to see such a wonder put into retirement.
But I think the correct decision has been made. He should be remembered for what he did, not what could have been.
Kauto Star won 16 Grade Ones throughout his career and made history in 2009 for becoming the first horse to reclaim the Gold Cup.
Many believed retirement beckoned when he was pulled up in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup last May, but Kauto Star proved the doubters wrong with a fourth triumph on his comeback in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last November, in which he defeated Long Run, the 2011 Gold Cup hero, by eight lengths.
It seemed that Long Run couldn't beat his older rival when losing again to the King after his greatest performance in his career on Boxing Day at Kempton in 2011. Kauto won his fifth King George with ease and cemented his status of one the greatest.
After a fall in schooling and pulling up in this year's Gold Cup, history will remember our star kindly, which he deserves.
forgotten.
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