Kauto Star got the racing world purring with pleasure after his steeplechase heroics in 2007. Kauto Star is rated at +175 odds with BetUS.com to win next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup 2008.
The seven-year-old horse capped a dominant season with his sixth victory from six runs when landing this year's Cheltenham Gold Cup in mightily impressive fashion.
In doing so, Kauto Star earned a £1m bonus for his team for sealing a big-race treble.
Bred in France where he so impressed with his seemingly out-of-this-world pace and power, he was nicknamed "L'Extraterrestrial".
In 22 races in France and Britain, he has been victorious 12 times and become the first horse to win over 2 millon in prize money over jumps.
He has delivered on all his promise this season, winning all six of his high-class races at six different tracks, over distances ranging from two miles to more than three-and-a-quarter miles.
Kauto Star was bought by Clive Smith in 2004 for £280,000, but nearly never happened as the owner's main target at the time had been Garde Champetre.
He bid £475,000 for that horse, but Irish millionaire JP McManus topped his offer by £50,000.
There can be no argument with the pre-eminence of Paul Nicholls' chaser at any trip.
Voy Por Ustedes was a convincing winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase over two miles at Cheltenham in March, but when he took on Kauto Star in the Tingle Creek Chase over the same trip, he was comprehensively beaten.
BetUS.com has posted horse racing betting odds to win the 2008 Gold Cup:
Kauto Star +175
Exotic Dancer +450
Denman +450
My Way de Solzen +800
The Listener +1500
Neptune Collonges +1500
In Compliance +1800
Kicking King +1800
Trabolgan +1800
Snowy Morning +1800
Star De Mohaison +1800
State of Play +2000
Don't Push It +2000
Aces Four +2000
Turpin Green +2000
My Will +2000
Cailin Alainn +3000
Gungadu +3000
Patsy Hall +3000
