Kauto to buck the 'age old' trend?

Kempton at Xmas has not been a happy hunting ground for the oldies in recent seasons......

 Christmas is coming the Geese are getting fat

Kauto Star won't win the King George now what do you think of that!!

OK I don't completely believe that statement but I have uncovered one pretty comprehensive stat that the mighty 'King of Kempton' will have to overcome if he is to land his record breaking FIFTH King George VI title -

In the last 4 seasons no horse aged older than 9 has won ANY race at Kempton's two day Xmas meeting! 

Wow! Now I checked and doubled checked and this is a true fact. I've even put it in table format just to make sure it's correct - 

26 runners aged 10 or older have run at Kempton's Xmas meeting in the last 4 seasons and 0 have managed to win!

To highlight even more how much they have been struggling only 2 of that 26 have even managed to run into a place!

Since Dessie won the last of his King George titles at the age of 11 in 1990 only one other horse aged older than 9 has won the race; good old Edredon Bleu, aged 11 in 2003.

Obviously Kauto is no ordinary horse and I'm not for one second saying we should be against him because of one stat but recently the older horses have been struggling over the Xmas period at Kempton and at the age of 10 Kauto Star does now fit into that category.

Kauto better remember to pop those Cod Liver Oil tablets so his joints are supple enough to fend off the young guns on Boxing Day.......

p.s. The stat also applies to Ollie Magern but I think he has more than just the age stat against him!!

On a sadder note I'd like to pass on my condolences to connections of both TWIST MAGIC and GILSLAND who sadly passed away whilst giving their all on the racetrack yesterday.  R.I.P lads, gone but not forgotten.....

Go on Twisty!!

Ben (NTF)