Kauto Star Novices’ Chase Betting Tips, Winners & History

Next Race: Sunday, 26th December 2021

The next race is scheduled to run on 26th December 2021. The race info, trends and tips shown below will be updated for the next renewal once the final declarations have been made.

Kauto Star Novices’ Chase Betting Tips

Note: The following tips are from 2020. Tips for the next renewal will be added once the final declarations have been made.

Nicky Henderson leads the way in this event with a total of five previous wins. 2009 was the last time the master of Seven Barrows saddled the winner though, and he won’t be adding to his tally this year as a little surprisingly, he doesn’t hold an entry. Snapping at his heels on four successes, is long-time rival, Paul Nicholls, who sends Enrilo into battle this time around.

Three is the magic number for the jockeys here, with Tony McCoy, Richard Dunwoody and Mick Fitzgerald having all bagged a hattrick of successes in the event over the course of their careers. Not a bad trio, and bidding to join them this year is two-time winner, Tom Scudamore, who gest the leg up on One For The Team for Nick Williams.

The market leader has come home in front three times in the past 10 editions of this, but with the odds of those winners being 8/13, 6/5 and 11/8, supporters of the jolly will still have been out of pocket to the tune of £3.81 to £1 level stakes.

Shan Blue – 2/1

Formerly based in the Paul Nicholls yard, his former boss’ deft touch in this event hasn’t yet rubbed off on Dan Skelton. In fact things couldn’t have gone too much worse for the Warwickshire handler, with his five runners in the race to date having returned fairly uninspiring form figures of PUP2F. If the market is to be believed though, those figures have every chance of improving this year, as it is the Skelton-trained six year old, Shan Blue, who has made his way to the head of the market.

Always seemingly held in high regard by his trainer, this son of Shantou showed signs of promise over the smaller obstacles last season, without really suggesting he was going to make his presence felt at the very top table. That was an opinion well illustrated when he managed only a plodding 27l sixth in the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in his sole start in Grade 1 company.

It was always thought that this one would prove a significantly better animal over fences though, and in two starts so far this season he has backed up that assessment. Firstly he impressed when winning in a 14l canter over 2m3½f at Wetherby, and latterly when putting 10 lengths between himself and the field over 3m at that same track last time out. This is a significant step up in class from Class 4 company, so he does need to find more, but if as good as he has looked in those two recent starts, this bold jumper may take some stopping.

The Big Breakaway – 5/2

When the trainer of Cue Card, Thistlecrack, Native River and other top notch mounts touts a horse as potentially the best chaser he has trained, it is probably worth sticking the animal in question into your horse tracker. The horse to earn that loftiest of assessments is Tizzard’s Getaway gelding, The Big Breakaway. This five year old clearly has a long way to go to match the achievements of the illustrious trio mentioned, but has started well and looks to take a big step up the ladder in what will be his third start over fences here.

An easy winner over hurdles on his first two outings for the yard, he rounded off last season with a solid fourth behind three of his elders in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. It did always look as though jumping a fence over staying distances would be the making of him though, and he duly delivered over 3m at Cheltenham on his chase debut in November.

His effort last time out when beaten over 2m3f at Exeter however wasn’t so good, although conceding 8lbs to the field he still emerged as the best horse in the race and simply looked to be outpaced close home over that inadequate trip. He does nevertheless have something to prove for now, but this step back up in trip ought to show him in a much better light.

Enrilo – 9/2

Paul Nicholls has a few in the yard who could well have taken a shot at this prize, and it therefore looks interesting that he relies solely on the six year old, Enrilo, particularly considering the trainer’s solid record in the race. Smart in winning two of four over hurdles, including in Grade 2 company at Chepstow, he didn’t quite cut it in his sole Grade 1 outing over the smaller obstacles, but wouldn’t be the first horse to subsequently go on to scale the heights over fences.

Overall, his two chase starts to date have shown definite signs of encouragement. He was beaten on his seasonal return at Chepstow, but considering that was his first outing in 286 days, and also his first outing since a wind op, it was reasonable to expect him to come on for the run.

And come on he did when scoring in comfortable fashion last time out over this trip at Exeter. The winning margin that day was only a 1½l, but he was value for a good bit more than that having been eased down close home, and did still have the look of a horse not quite at peak fitness. Our one concern would be the fact that he drifted left in the closing stages that day, which isn’t an ideal trait to have at a right-handed track, but other than that he would look to have solid claims at what seems a fair enough price.