In a race billed as a heavyweight showdown and an ultimate decider between Paul Nicholls’ stablemates, it was local hero Imperial Commander who prevailed for Nigel Twiston-Davies in a race of towering high drama.

Kauto Star, the 8-11 favourite and winner of the Gold Cup in 2007 and 2009, was unlucky not to deposit Ruby Walsh with an uncharacteristic error at the eighth fence and he was never travelling thereafter.

Walsh was niggling away at the four-time King George VI Chase winner passing the stands and the pair then came to grief four fences from home with an earth-shattering fall.

Thankfully both horse and jockey were quickly on their feet as Imperial Commander squared up to 2008 winner Denman at the head of affairs.

Denman left his abject failure at Newbury last month well behind under Tony McCoy but the bruising combination were fighting for second place as Imperial Commander and Paddy Brennan went on at the second-last.

Any stamina doubts from onlookers were readily brushed aside as the 7-1 chance thundered up the hill for a sixth course success with his seven-length victory.

Although he has won the Grand National twice, Twiston-Davies craves the quiet life and admitted afterwards that “I am low player and like to be the small man”.

But the small man had already nearly upset the colossus of Kauto Star once this season as back in November Imperial Commander ran him to a nose at Haydock.

“You can never be confident of beating Kauto Star as he wins so well every year but both horses were only half-fit at Haydock and he proved himself that day that we are that class,” said Twiston-Davies.

“He is bred to stay and that is all he has ever done. He has always powered up the hill like it was flat and in another 10 yards at Haydock he would have beaten Kauto Star by miles.

“There was not a man in the world who didn’t think we had won that day.

“I am slowly filling my CV and only the Champion Hurdle is missing after Khyber Kim finished second on Tuesday.

“I wanted to win the Grand National more than anything and have two now so they are getting boring!

“We don’t like shouting our mouths off, but I couldn’t understand it as Denman had let his supporters down last time and Kauto cannot do it every year.

“Cooldine had 14lb to find and I couldn’t see how he could do it.

“I was the forgotten man and I hope you forget me again after today.”

Forgetting the jovial Naunton handler would seem unlikely with Imperial Commander due to now take in Betfair Bowl at Aintree in three weeks’ time.

Twiston-Davies added: “I would like to run him at Liverpool. I don’t imagine Denman or Kauto will run so it should be a penalty kick.”

Brennan breezed past the winning post with his finger pressed firmly to his lips, and explaining the expression, he said: “All we have heard of the last three months is Kauto Star and Denman. It is good for racing but it was never a two-horse race.

“It’s by far the best day of my life. I’m speechless. It was a dream the whole way.

“I saw Kauto’s mistake out of the corner of my eye. Paul Townend (on Cooldine) was next to me and he said Kauto was still there.

“I thought Kauto had to make just one mistake. There was a lot of rubbish talked about Kauto being half-fit at Haydock but we needed the race too.

“I had never had a feeling like it at Haydock with the speed he showed up the straight.

“Kauto is not a young horse and Imperial Commander is improving – he is a serious horse.

“I wanted to get the rail today and once I did I thought he was going pull up for two strides going into the final fence.

“But he sprinted away from the last and he will get four miles.

“The horse on the day was exceptional and I just played a small part.

“This is a serious horse and he will be around a long time.”

Twiston-Davies and Brennan have forged a successful partnership since the rider moved from Howard Johnson’s stable in 2007.

“I am not the easiest person to work with on a day-to-day basis. If I am not winning I am not happy,” Brennan explained.

“Nigel makes me happy every day. He makes me feel that I am the best and you cannot buy that.

“He is not only a boss but a friend and he will be hard to replace.

“I am very proud to sit here and be part of the Nigel Twiston-Davies team.”

Kauto Star Gold Cup Favourite

Only Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Mill House and Best Mate have ever won the blue riband event three times, and all did it in consecutive seasons.

Kauto Star has already created his own unique piece of history by becoming the first horse to reclaim the prize 12 months ago, and another win for Ruby Walsh’s mount would add yet more lustre to his legacy. Having been kept fresh since winning a fourth King George VI Chase in spectacular fashion, champion trainer Nicholls is feeling bullish again.

“It is impossible to say he is better than ever as it was such a wonderful performance at Kempton,” said Nicholls.

“He worked with Master Minded last weekend and there are very few who can do what he did with a champion chaser.

“When he is fit he is lethal and there is nothing I can say to put anyone off him.”

According to the bookmakers, Kauto Star has most to fear from stablemate and 2008 winner Denman, who finished second 12 months ago after an interrupted preparation.

Yet again Denman’s last appearance before Cheltenham did not go to plan as he left his new jockey, Tony McCoy, on the floor in the Aon Chase which was won by another stablemate, Tricky Trickster.

McCoy is back in the saddle and the racing world is itching to see the two best horses and the two best jockeys competing in the highlight of the season.

“Denman did a very good piece of work with Tricky Trickster at the weekend. The more you do and the more you drill him the better he gets,” added Nicholls.

“You have to remember that before he ran in the Aon he gave 22lb to What A Friend and he went on to win the Lexus.

“He did have a little setback, but he is over that and do not write him off.

“The danger with Denman is that you go off too quick on him and get to the bottom of him too soon.

“He loves a battle and if he had got into a scrap with Niche Market at Newbury he would have loved it.”

One of the few viable alternatives to the big two is last year’s Ryanair winner, Imperial Commander.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ nine-year-old only went down by a nose to Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, and returns to a course where he has won four times over fences after disappointing in Kempton’s King George VI Chase.

“He’s in really good nick and I’m very happy with him. He got within a whisker of beating Kauto Star at Haydock. I couldn’t be happier and I’m really looking forward to it,” the Naunton handler said.

“He certainly will have improved from Haydock. That was his first run of the season and he’s a big burly horse. He’s an awful lot fitter now and he’s really lean and mean and keen.

“The trip is not a problem, he stays forever.

“We’ll be riding our own race but we certainly will be up there with them. Three out at Haydock he had Kauto beat but he made a mistake there that turned the whole thing into a battle.

“He has a high cruising speed and can quicken off that. I don’t think we’re worried about tactics at all.

“He’s won four out of five over fences at Cheltenham. He was very wrong the only time he was beaten there. He damaged a hock and didn’t run for nearly a year.

“Otherwise without that he’d have been unbeaten there.”

Willie Mullins is pinning his hopes on Cooldine improving as much as he did last year.

His novice campaign was highlighted with an authoritative victory in the RSA Chase and he ran a sound trial in the Irish Hennessy on his latest start.

“He seems in good form on the gallops here during the week,” said Mullins.

“Last year he improved hand over fist from race to race and I’m sure he’s improved again since Leopardstown.

“I hope we can get into the money and it is all to play for after that. The race looks like a head-to-head and my fellow needs a good bit of improvement to get between the two of them but that is what we are here to find out.

“He will handle the ground and the trip will bring out his stamina.

“He put in a fantastic round of jumping last year and if he can do the same again this time it will put him right in the race.

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Arch rivals and stablemates Kauto Star and Denman head a field of 12 left in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday at the confirmation stage.

Kauto Star became the first horse to regain the blue riband prize when beating his fellow Paul Nicholls inmate 12 months ago.

Next week he bids to join the likes of Arkle and Best Mate as triple Gold Cup winners.

Tricky Trickster and My Will complete a four-strong Nicholls team while there will be plenty of support for Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Imperial Commander, who was only beaten a nose by Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase at Haydock earlier in the season.

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Next week he bids to join the likes of Arkle and Best Mate as triple Gold Cup winners. Denman had Kauto Star back in second place when successful two years ago and needs to bounce back after unseating Tony McCoy at Newbury last month.

Tricky Trickster and My Will complete a four-strong Nicholls team while there will be plenty of support for Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Imperial Commander, who was only beaten a nose by Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase at Haydock earlier in the season.

Last year’s RSA Chase victor Cooldine from Willie Mullins’ stable and Noel Meade’s Casey Jones make up the Irish challenge.  Completing the list are Calgary Bay, Carruthers, Cerium, Grand National winner Mon Mome and Mr Pointment. The horses withdrawn were Albertas Run, Aran Concerto, Madison Du Berlais, Notre Pere, Schindlers Hunt, Taranis and Without A Friend.

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Rebecca Morgan, commercial and operations manager at Cheltenham, said: “In total, we will have sold over 6,000 scarves, the equivalent of almost 10% of the likely Gold Cup day crowd of 67,000, celebrating the colours of Kauto Star and Denman.

“The split on overall sales at the moment is 60% in favour of Kauto Star products and 40% for Denman products, although it fluctuates week by week. The last time we did anything of this sort was during the Best Mate era, but the response to Denman and Kauto Star has been massive compared to then.

“We are delighted that racing fans want to show their support loud and proud, and are grateful to Paul Nicholls and the owners for their support and enthusiasm about what we are doing to promote the rivalry between the two horses.”

Kauto Star Gold Cup Favourite

The now-retired Pipe, twice a winner of the Champion, is in agreement with that line of thinking – and rates the seven-year-old Dunguib as the ‘banker’ of the showcase meeting. He told the Daily Mail:

“I would have done the same thing. The Irish think Dunguib is the banker and if I had to take five horses there he’d be my first choice. A fast-run race will be ideal for him.”

Pipe is also in the corner of Kauto Star landing a third totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. He added:

“The ground looks to be favouring him more than Denman and he’s simply the best. Master Minded won well last time after the injury and should win another Champion Chase.”

Pipe also gave a good word to two contenders trained by his son, David. He said:

“Notus De La Tour is near top weight in the Fred Winter and he’s only had one run for the stable. But he’s a nice young horse who will want good ground. Ashkazar has been a little disappointing but the conditions (in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle) should suit him and I’m expecting him to go a lot better.”

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Martin Pipe in days gone by winning at Cheltenham;

Kauto Star is the firm market favourite for the 2010 Gold Cup having won in 2007 and 2009.  He is a French bred and here is the story of Kauto Star…

Denman is from Ireland and came through the point to point arena before being famously snapped up to join Paul Nicholls. Denman won the Gold Cup in 2008, beating Kauto Star.

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