Betters of horse racing may want to reconsider their choices for the Ascot races, switching their favorite to Denman instead of Kauto Star.  Gold Cup favorite Kauto Star may not be able to participate.  Betting on the Cheltenham race which takes place next month was suspended when it was announced that the horse racing world was waiting on word on the horse’s condition after his win at the Commercial First Chase.  Unable to relax, both trainer and owner are awaiting word that the horse will be able to go on.

Preliminary reports suggest that the horse has a sprained fetlock.  This injury is the equivalent of a sprained ankle in humans.  The senior vet at Ascot, however, suggested that the horse has an infection in one of his hind hooves instead.  Kauto Star’s owner and trainer called in their own vet to identify the problem in order to treat it.

Kauto Star would be defending his crown on March 14, 2008.  His odds are drifting up and down, drifting from 6.6 to 3.2.  His closest competitor, Denman, is set up with odds around 3.28, almost 2-1.  Whether or not gamblers want to take the chance on Kauto Star will depend on what type of injury is discovered.  And no one is really sure how good Denman is and if he could take the cup from Kauto Star.

If Kauto Star does not race, jockey Ruby Walsh will be riding Denman instead, shifting the other jockey’s around and pushing jockey Sam Thomas out of the ride.  Denman’s owners do not like the idea of Kauto Star being out of the race, feeling as if they are getting robbed of a good race between the two competing horses.  The friendly competition between the owner’s two horses and the owners themselves have helped breathed some new life into the horse racing world.  

Kauto Star was foaled in 2000, and the eight year old racing horse has won numerous awards and trophies since entering competition in the 2005/2006 season.  He is a top runner on tracks ranging from two to over three and a quarter mile tracks.  The main concern of the trainers and owner is his ability to successfully clear the jumps which he has had issue with in the past.  There have been speculations that a previous injury Kauto Star suffered may be the reason for his hesitation at the fences, an injury that sidelined the beautiful animal for eleven months.  Now, another injury may sideline him yet again and keep him from winning the cup at Cheltenham.