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Northwest Racing Masters

The highlight of Haydock's jump season is without doubt the exciting £200,000 Grade One Betfair Chase, part of the Northwest Racing Masters which is staged at Haydock Park on Saturday 22nd November 2008 and Aintree on Sunday, November 23rd 2008. 

Coming into it's 4th year, the Betfair Chase's initiative really captured the public's imagination in its 2nd year when the Betfair Million Bonus - an opportunity for the top-staying chasers in the country to earn a fantastic £1million bonus by winning 3 of the most prestigious prizes in the jumps calendar - was collected in wonderful style by Kauto Star.

Kauto Star, trained by Paul Nicholls and owned by Clive Smith, enjoyed a remarkable campaign, culminating in his Gold Cup victory in March 2007.  His prestigious career really kick-started when, seven months after falling when favourite for the Champion Chase at the 2006 Festival, he reappeared in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree and put up an outstanding performance, drawing clear effortlessly to win by 21 lengths.

Expectations were high when he then travelled to Haydock a month later for his first attempt over 3 miles in the Betfair Chase.  A hot favourite, Kauto Star gave an exhilarating exhibition, never putting a foot wrong and quickening clear from before the last, hardly coming off the bridle.  His nearest pursuer, multiple Grade One winner Beef or Salmon, finished 17 lengths adrift.  Kauto then completed a 6-week hat trick of Grade One wins in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, the middle leg of the Betfair Million, again won convincingly, despite serious errors at 2 of the final 4 fences.

Despite his near-flawless record, doubts as to Kauto's jumping persisted in the run up to the 2007 Gold Cup, even though he went off a very well-supported favourite.  But on the day, Kauto confirmed himself as the season's outstanding chaser and completed the treble required to land the Betfair Million.  His merit was put into context by Timeform, who, in their Chasers & Hurdlers Annual, declared him worthy of a rating which is the joint highest (with Moscow Flyer) of any jumper since Desert Orchid - an accolade which delighted his owner, Clive Smith.

In November 2007 Kauto Star repeated his incredible success by winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock and again keeping alive his chances of landing the £1m bonus for the second year in a row.

This time he was ridden by Sam Thomas after Ruby Walsh dislocated his shoulder at Cheltenham the week before. Kauto Star was 4-5 on favourite despite a loss at Aintree in the September, took the lead at the 12th of the 16 fences and held off a strong challenge from Exotic Dancer in the final stages. Thomas, the number 2 jockey at Nicholls' stable, repaid the faith shown in him by his boss by confidently hanging on to his lead to claim victory and claimed it "... a great milestone in my career".  A delighted Clive Smith said: "He is just a star. He jumped beautifully and Sam took the initiative coming into the straight.  He settled so well - and is a better horse than last year perhaps. It'll be the King George next and then hopefully on to Cheltenham."