Chase Triple Crown winner to receive new Kauto Star trophy

Kauto Star is to be honoured with a specially-commissioned trophy to be awarded to the owner of the next horse that completes the Jockey Club Chase Triple Crown.

The trophy, in addition to the £1million bonus, is up for grabs for any horse that can win the Betfair Chase, the 32Red King George VI Chase and the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season.

Kauto Star is the only horse to achieve that feat during a stellar campaign in 2006-07 for owner Clive Smith, trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Ruby Walsh.

The winning owner will keep the trophy in perpetuity and will be asked for their permission to name a future bespoke trophy after their own Chase Triple Crown winner, who will have taken their place in the history books.

Smith said: “Kauto Star was such an incredible horse. He had it all, he really was the complete racehorse.”

Nicholls said: “A horse has to have very special qualities to win the Betfair Chase, King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season.

“The year Kauto won the Chase Triple Crown, we all realised what a superstar horse we had on our hands.”

Walsh said: “The Jockey Club bonus of £1million is a huge incentive and the way it’s divided up so the owner, trainer, jockeys and stable staff share, that’s important.”

Kauto Star was retired in March 2012 after an amazing career that saw him win 16 Grade One races, including the King George five times and the Gold Cup twice.

He was put down in June 2015 following injuries he sustained as the result of a fall in his paddock.