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| Star makes it four in a row at Kempton • Popular chaser seizes Kempton race by huge margin• Ruby Walsh still won't commit to riding winner in Gold CupThere are those who claim that Kauto Star does not "connect" with the public as Desert Orchid used to do in his Christmas pomp. But even at the height of his popularity, the grey did not parade in front of crowds decked out in his racing colours. There were enough green-and-yellow scarves here to deck out the home end at Carrow Road and the only moment when Kauto Star seemed anything but composed and in control was when the crowd spooked him slightly with four loud cheers.There had been no need for anything but applause in the race itself, no requirement to cheer him on in a nose-to-nose battle like the one he survived at Haydock last month. Imperial Commander, who forced him to fight all the way to the line then, was a spent force here after a bad mistake at the second fence. But even if he had jumped cleanly throughout, he would have had no answer to the winner.This was one of the great chasing performances, one that seems sure to elevate Kauto Star into the sport's all-time top three. Victory was never in doubt at any stage and when Ruby Walsh eased the favourite past the grey Nacarat, who had set a strong pace, at the top of the straight, it was only a question of how far. The answer was 'a distance' – in other words, more than 30 lengths – which is an incredible margin of victory in a Grade One Chase when a good horse like Madison Du Berlais, a Hennessy Gold Cup winner, is the unsighted runner-up. He was barely over the last as Kauto Star crossed the line."You start off with a clear mind and hope to get happier, and I was just getting happier as the race went on," Walsh said."You keep coming back and you think that some day he can't be as good, but today he turned up better than ever. He's an unbelievably durable horse. You think about the race he had behind Denman in the Gold Cup and behind Our Vic at Aintree, and to come back the following years as the horse he has, he's such a reliable and dependable horse."The one horse that might yet threaten Kauto Star's dominance is his stable-mate Denman, this season's Hennessy Gold Cup winner, and Walsh has yet to commit to riding Kauto Star in the Gold Cup in March."If you get Denman back to his [2008] Gold Cup form, that was an incredible performance," Walsh said. "Anything can happen – horse racing could get me off both their backs. It's a fickle sport and Cheltenham is a long way away."For the winning trainer, Paul Nicholls, there was relief as well as amazement at just how easily his horse had prevailed. "It's fantastic," he said. "Obviously I was very nervous – I wanted to get him here in the best possible form. It's a lot of pressure on everybody, but he's great for jump racing and the crowd here has been fantastic and they've got what they wanted to see."It was never in any doubt, really, barring an accident. He was always cruising and jumping [and] since he's had a sheepskin noseband on, I don't think he's ever made a mistake."He's the best ever for me. Denman's got another run to come [before the Festival], but it's going to make things very interesting come March."Kauto Star's performance was not the only one to suggest that great things lie ahead at the Cheltenham Festival. Go Native took the Christmas Hurdle in the style of another former favourite here, his former stablemate Harchibald, by travelling supremely well through the race and then idling badly on the run-in so that he was almost caught by the strong-finishing Starluck.Paul Carberry, who famously took a pull after jumping the last in the 2005 Champion Hurdle on Harchibald and was then run out of what had seemed certain victory on the hill, will now attempt to repeat the trick, but with a different result, at Cheltenham."He's a very good horse with lots of speed and he'll be better on better ground," Carberry, representing trainer Noel Meade, said. "He's got a lot of gears and he can just produce at the time when you want him to. He jumps very quick as well."He might run again before Cheltenham, but it depends on the ground, Noel [Meade] wouldn't want to bottom him on heavy ground. He's won at Cheltenham already, so that's a big help."There was huge promise, too, from Long Run, a recent import from France, where he was rated superior to Kauto Star at a similarly early stage of his career. He was a little uncertain at some of his fences in winning the Feltham Novice Chase, but his engine is clearly outstanding and he is now co-favourite with some bookmakers for the RSA Chase in March.His partner here was Sam Waley-Cohen, the son of owner Robert, who managed to sit tight as Long Run clambered over some of his obstacles, the second-last in particular, looking like a tricky ride for an amateur jockey."The gods were with us there," said Waley-Cohen. "I think a sack of potatoes would have had more attention out of him. It felt pretty awful, but he's a fabulous horse and I hope he comes out of the race well and look forward to whatever's next."It's tricky when you know you're travelling well like that and you want to find a quiet stride, and he wasn't keen to take it."Nicky Henderson, Long Run's trainer, accepts that work will be needed between now and March, but realises he has a major prospect on his hands."He's very, very good," Henderson said. "He's just got to get his English [jumping] better than his French, as there are some French habits in there. Even watching tapes, he's good and good and good, but then, if he meets one wrong, the first thing that comes into his head is: 'I can get through this.'"As for the engine, you can see what's in there. For a four-year-old, it was a very serious performance."Horse racingKauto StarPaul NichollsGreg Woodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Chelsea have Juventus striker Iaquinta in their sights Carlo Ancelotti is considering a move for Vincenzo Iaquinta, the Juventus and Italy forward. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |
Premier League club 'could collapse' • State of the finance of football is 'frightening'• Clubs have 'borrowed against everything' says SullivanA Premier League club could collapse this year because of the parlous state of football finances, said David Sullivan, the former Birmingham City co-owner.Sullivan, who sold his stake in Birmingham to the Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung last year, said many clubs had put their future in jeopardy by borrowing against future income and that the state of football finances was "frightening"."We've looked at 20 clubs since we left Birmingham. The state of the finance of football is frightening and I think there's a possibility one Premier League club could go," Sullivan said. "I think probably odds on one club will go." He was speaking the day after Red Football Ltd, Manchester United's holding company, reported a pre-tax profit of ÂŁ48.2m in the year to the end of June 2009.However, the profit was boosted by the world-record transfer of United's Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for ÂŁ80m. United also plan to raise about ÂŁ500m through a notes offering to refinance existing debt.There was no suggestion United, who reported higher turnover of ÂŁ278.5m, could collapse but Sullivan said he had looked at the finances of 20 clubs as he considers getting back into the game and was staggered at what he had found.He said too many clubs in the Premier League and Championship had borrowed against projected income from season ticket sales and television money."Many, many clubs have pre-sold their Premier League income, television money," said Sullivan. "They've borrowed against one and two and three year's season-ticket money. They've borrowed against everything."There are several Championship sides absolutely on the line at the moment. It's a question of whether they can sell players for sufficient money to stay alive."But there's not a lot of money out there to buy players at the moment. Even some of the clubs who you think have got money really haven't got much money to spend on players."Portsmouth, who are bottom of the Premier League, are in deep financial trouble and have paid their players' salaries late three times this season.The club also face a winding-up order from the government and go to the high court tomorrow to argue the VAT portion of their tax debt is too high at ÂŁ7.5m.BusinessPremier LeagueChampionshipManchester UnitedPortsmouthguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Wolves swoop for Belgian loan signing • Geoffrey Mujangi-Bia joins until end of season• Attacker can play on either wing or centrallyWolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed the loan signing of Geoffrey Mujangi-Bia. The attacking midfielder has joined from the Belgian club Charleroi until the end of the season and Wolves have an option to sign the player permanently at the end of the season.The 20-year-old Congo-born player has two caps for Belgium and arrived in Wolverhampton last Saturday, where he has been training since the game against Wigan."We've very pleased to have signed Geoffrey," said the club's manager, Mick McCarthy. "He's a player who [we have] been tracking for a while and will add some creativity and firepower to our squad. He's an attacking midfielder who can play on the right or the left as well as centrally."Mujangi-Bia can also play as a striker and has scored seven goals in 48 appearances in the Belgian First Division with Charleroi. Wolves are hoping he will make his debut in Saturday's FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace."I first heard about the interest a couple of weeks ago and am very happy to have signed," said Mujangi-Bia. "I've played in England once before with the Belgium Under-21s and it's been my dream to play in the Premier League. It was good to meet the manager this week and I'm looking forward to playing for him."Wolves' chief executive officer, Jez Moxey, added: "We are very pleased to have Geoffrey. He comes to us with excellent credentials and because he is only 20 years, he has enormous potential."He is highly respected in Belgium and regarded as one of their most talented young players. This has been a difficult transfer window so far but we hope at least one or maybe two players will follow this signing."Wolverhampton WanderersCharleroiTransfer windowPremier LeagueTom Bryantguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Rafael Nadal knows importance of putting Andy Murray in his place in Australia If there is any doubting the significance of his Australian Open quarter-final against Andy Murray tomorrow, Rafael Nadal dashes such thoughts in a sentence. “This match can change a lot the situation for me,” the defending champion said. Perhaps the British observers in Melbourne ought not to obsess with how much more might it change for Murray. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |