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Big day for Long Run at Haydock

By Cornelius LysaghtBBC horse racing correspondent

Last updated on .From the section Horse Racingcomments11

Long Run

For the second year running, the six or so minutes of Haydock's Betfair Chase look critical for the leading contenders.

In 2011, Kauto Star's career was on the line, with friends and foes alike wondering increasingly loudly if the 10-year old, who'd been pulled up in his previous race, at Punchestown, should call it a day.

However, those sceptics were dramatically silenced by an explosive performance.

Positively brutal in its efficiency, the tables were well and truly turned on Long Run, five years his junior and his conqueror in the previous season's King George V1 Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup.

"Retirement? Not on your life," roared BBC Radio 5 live's commentator John Hunt as Kauto Star, himself the winner of two Gold Cups, galloped to a truly famous victory.

A few weeks later, back in the King George, he repeated the whole process, with Long Run again at the receiving end of a bashing.

Kauto Star returns to Haydock for this year's race, but, now retired, he will simply be there to parade for his fans before allowing the runners a clear run at the prestigious Grade 1 prize.

No one will be happier at his absence than the team around Long Run.

Although they were the ones who originally dethroned the record-breaking champion, he returned the compliment with interest last season.

The younger horse, ridden by amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen, looked to have his heart 'broken'; now he must demonstrate the pieces have all been stitched back together again.

But even with the absence of 2010 Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander, who misses the race with an injury, there is another prominent Cheltenham Festival achiever.

The Giant Bolster, named after a mythical Cornish ogre, put in a gigantic performance at 50-1 to finish second behind the ill-fated Synchronised in this year's Gold Cup.

But being part of the small Cotswold team of top jockey-turned-trainer David Bridgwater, plenty have been happy to dismiss his run as something of a fluke.

A prominent finish at Haydock would go a long way to forcing those particular critics back into the undergrowth.

So big days for Long Run and The Giant Bolster.

The bad news, however, is that also present is Wetherby winner Silviniaco Conti, representing Kauto Star's trainer Paul Nicholls, and seen as having the potential to be the stable's next champion.

Coverage of the Betfair Chase on BBC Radio 5 live at 15:05 GMT on Saturday 24 November

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11 comments

  • Comment posted by John G, at 21:51 19 Nov 2012

    Go Tidal Bay.
    The great thing about the jumps is you see the horses year after year.
    Wonderful.

  • Comment posted by fumanstu, at 23:13 21 Nov 2012

    Everyone seems so absolutely certain of there opinions, nothing like horses for making fools of us all, comparing generations always subjective, so won't waste words, personally most looking forward to seeing if Sir des Champs is as good as he looks this year and fancy him to be best of staying brigade, Kauto Stone with plenty of cut on Saturday, or Silviano Conti, Nicholls is buzzing,

  • Comment posted by Andrew Evzona, at 16:47 21 Nov 2012

    I was so incensed at the Redman comment I misspelt "Himself's" name....ARKLE...the greatest steeplechaser ever seen and nothing has come anywhere near him since !
    I suggest any doubters have a close inspection of his racing record over fences...22 wins and 4 placings from 26 starts with mitigating circumstances for each defeat.

  • Comment posted by Andrew Evzona, at 16:28 21 Nov 2012

    Arkel overrated ??

    You obviously weren't around in the 60s and the rules of racing were changed,such was his dominance,one handicap if he ran and another if he didn't. He is rightly rated at least 21 lbs above Kauto Star and Best Mate and won 3 Gold Cups which would have become 6 but for a premature end to his career aged 9.

  • Comment posted by Redman, at 15:32 21 Nov 2012

    I feel that this Arkle horse was overrated.

    Kauto Star has achieved as much if not more than he ever achieved.
    Best Mate too did - he won 3 Gold Cups in a row!

  • Comment posted by Jeff Harris, at 08:15 21 Nov 2012

    Everyone was keen to underline Kauto had a bad year two years ago and proved his class by coming back to win again the following year in style. The same will hopefully be said of Long Run who has bags of class is still quite young and has the potential to win more gold cups.

  • Comment posted by New Fast Automatic Daffodils, at 21:20 20 Nov 2012

    @ 5 - Unfortunately Imperial Commander has been ruled out the Betfair Chase through injury.

  • Comment posted by northernblues, at 19:06 20 Nov 2012

    I do feel that in this race this year it could be a the big stepping stone for a couple of horses. I do fancy seeing imperial commandor again and if he is back to his best, it will be his race all day long but the form of silvianico Conti does seem good at the moment.

  • Comment posted by swintondude, at 16:01 20 Nov 2012

    @1.John G

    I couldn't agree more.

    I don't know why but I really do have a sneaky feeling tidal Bay is gonna do the business!!

  • Comment posted by Andrew Evzona, at 15:19 20 Nov 2012

    Grizzly..you obviously never saw Arkle then !

    Meanwhile,Long Run should be far more forward for this race than he was for last years renewal and I can see him winning it this time.

    I feel Paul Nicholls has one or two better chasers than Silvianico Conti in his yard currently.

  • Comment posted by Grizzly, at 11:09 20 Nov 2012

    Nothing will ever come close to the brilliance of Kauto Star in this race last year, a real hair standing moment for me.
    As for this year I've not convinced Long Run can get back to the top table, couldn't win the worst Gold Cup in history and always likely to chuck in a mistake or two.
    Silvianaco Conti is the potential star here - disappointing last season but could be a star this...

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