Betfair Chase, Haydock Park

It is strange to think of a race in terms,of 50/50 particularly when there are more than two horses in the contest in question, but surely at even money, wonder horse Kauto Star is a good bargain to win the Betfair Chase at Huntingdon on Saturday.

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A lot of the bookies who had the audacity to promote such a price were criticised on Wednesday, but Ladbrokes are still staying with evens and horseracing bettors should go to mop up the price.

Trainer Paul Nicholls' horse won all six of his races last season which included two performances of the highest standard; the Stan James King George VI at Kempton and the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Kauto Star failed to open his account this season when beaten by the clever Monet's Garden at Aintree in October and although it was a workmanlike effort from a previously extrordinary chaser, the champion had his reasons for such a poor performance - Kauto Star carried a stone more in weight than Monet's Garden at the Grand National track.

The luck also seems to be riding with the favourite, as continual rain and the likelihood of the withdrawl of a few of the opposition could well see his price shorten to the region of 8/13 by 2.40 on Saturday afternoon.

There are few in the race who can realistically trouble the champion anyway. My Way de Solzen has won the World Hurdle and the Arkle Trophy at the last two Cheltenham festivals, but Haydock in the wet is a completely course to Prestbury Park in March.

Supporters of Robert Thornton's horse will point to the fact that the seven-year-old has won over the chase course on heavy ground at Haydock before, and after just six chase starts Alan King's charge will have a lot of improvement in him. All of which are good arguments for thinking that Kauto Star will not just have things all his own way.

On Monday, the 14 entries for the race included the first four home in the last season's Gold Cup and six out of the first seven of those in the betting for this season's Blue Riband event.

But Kauto star won the Gold Cup by an easy two-and-a-half lengths from Exotic Dancer, who he beat again at Aintree last month giving away 7lbs. After that pipe-opener, Nicholls is sure to have Kauto Star up for this race and there seems very little the others can do to stop the reigning champion; no matter how much they improve.

Verdict: 3pts Kauto Star @ evens (Ladbrokes)

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