Kauto Star vs Denman? That was what the script said, with Denman landing the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2008 and Kauto Star levelling the score with a similarly emphatic Cheltenham Festival success in the blue riband in 2019. Who would win the 'best of three' in this highly-anticipated decider?
Course specialist Imperial Commander was the third choice of the punters at 7/1, but the nine-year-old posted a top-class effort to deny his more lauded opponents and prevail by an easy seven lengths for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, jockey Paddy Brennan and owners Our Friends In The North.
This was no fluke either, with Imperial Commander a top-class racehorse when fresh after a break and over fences at Cheltenham, previously landing the highly-competitive Paddy Power Gold Cup at this track and landing Cheltenham Festivl glory the previous season with victory in the Ryanair Chase. Earlier in the current campaign, he finished just a nose behind Kauto Star in a thrilling Betfair Chase at Haydock.
Brennan said: "This is what it's all about, to win a Gold Cup. There are plenty of highs and lows in racing but this is a tremendous feeling, by far the best day in my life.
"Imperial Comander a brilliant horse who could do nothing but impress you. He's got a great trainer and great owners and there's a great team behind him."
Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "It's absolutely superb. I thought Kauto was in trouble some way out before he fell. All of the publicity was about Kauto Star and Denman, but we knew we were going to win, so we just stayed quiet. And now we've won."
#HorseRacing #KautoStar #CheltenhamFestival #Horses
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