DYNAMITE DENMAN IS PURE GOLD

Denman destroyed his rivals to win the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

Denman galloped his stablemate and reigning champion Kauto Star into the ground to provide trainer Paul Nicholls with a famous one-two-three in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Twenty five years on from Michael Dickinson saddling the first five home in the blue riband, a similar feat was achieved by Nicholls.

Since Denman won the Royal & SunAlliance Chase 12 months ago, the clash between the pair who occupy adjoining stables in deepest Somerset had been eagerly-awaited.

But it never quite lived up to the billing as Denman powered away from the field and denied last year's winner and 10-11 favourite by an emphatic seven lengths.

Nicholls' second jockey Sam Thomas read the script perfectly and allowed Denman to stride on passing the stands on the second circuit.

From there the 9-4 shot gradually wound up the pace and Ruby Walsh could be spotted sending out distress signals aboard Kauto Star from the top of the hill.

Denman forged clear and while Kauto Star gave chase his neighbour - now unbeaten in nine starts over fences - had already put the race to bed and kept on to provide Thomas with a first Festival success.

Nicholls' third string Neptune Collonges rallied to nearly pip Kauto Star for second, pulling nine lengths clear of Halcon Genelardais in fourth.

Nicholls said: "Your first win in a race is always the best and I'll never forget See More Business winning in 1999, but it doesn't get any better than saddling the one-two-three in the Gold Cup.

"Denman was awesome. He jumped and galloped and put Kauto on the back foot really.

"Kauto didn't jump as well as he can and the ground may have been a little tacky for him, but we are not going to make any excuses as he got beat by a better horse on the day. But Kauto will be back here and will win plenty more races.

"Denman has been progressing. He beat nothing in the Aon and the form wasn't there in the book, but he has taken another step today.

"We didn't know he was capable of doing it until he went out there and there was no point me putting my head on the block until we had seen it.

"I was left alone to watch the race by a Tote window. I knew Denman had won with a circuit to go as I could see what was happening.

"Hopefully they will meet again and I can't see any reason why they won't.

"Every horse gets beaten some day and on a different track we may have a different result."

But any chance of the pair crossing swords again this term was immediately ruled out.

Nicholls went on: "Denman definitely won't run again this season. I'll talk to Clive Smith and see about Kauto, while Neptune Collonges will go to Punchestown again.

"All credit to Sam, who has not had a great week but has given the horse a fantastic ride and I am very proud of him."

Thomas, who admitted he would have chosen Denman over Kauto Star if he had been given the choice, said: "I just don't know what to say!

"He jumped beautifully again and when he took it up he loved it in front. He was jumping once fence and then looking for the next.

"I was able to settle him for the first circuit and switch him off. Even when we went on he was nice and relaxed.

"I had a look round and saw Ruby was third. Up the straight I could feel something closing, but I kept riding to the line and he didn't get there in time.

"He had never had a gun to his head in a top-class race and I feel there is improvement to come."

Denman's win also resulted in a tidy profit for his part-owner Harry Findlay, who had backed theeight-year-old ante-post to win over £500,000.

The renowned gambler said: "Forget about your Grand Prix and your football and your tennis. This was two stablemates. We had to do what we had to do to break the champion.

"All this about conspiracy theories and whatever, we've had to do everything to break Kauto Star's heart and that's what we've done.

"We've gone through the race so many times and we knew what we had to do. It was just brilliant and went totally to plan.

"We knew Neptune would go out and give us a lead and we'd then take it up on the second circuit and make it a war.

"From early in his career I have believed Denman is a left-handed tank and I was more than happy Sam was on him as they get on great.

"This was a carbon copy of the Hennessy - he went out in front and did the damage. He was neat and precise too, which Kauto Star wasn't.

"This has been great and we now have a few months to think about next season."

Findlay's partner in the horse is Paul Barber, who also owned See More Business.

He said: "Paul Nicholls eats, sleeps and breathes horses. That's where his greatness comes from.

"My ambition in life was to milk 1,000 cows and win a Gold Cup. Now I milk 2,000 cows and I wanted two Gold Cups to go with them."

Nicholls added: "I will be very keen to run him in the Hennessy again. He would probably keep all the other runners out of the handicap and the trip and track will be ideal."

Walsh admitted he had known his fate a long way out. He said: "I was struggling past the winning post on the first circuit when Sam picked it up. I just couldn't get there. Well done to them all."

He went on: "If you get it wrong, you get it wrong. I could only ride one. I picked the wrong one and that's racing.

"Of course Kauto Star could come back next year. On any given day any horse can win."

For Denman to claim Kauto Star's scalp is some achievement with the latter a dual King George winner, in addition to boasting wins in the Tingle Creek, Betfair Chase and Ascot Chase.

His owner Clive Smith said: "I would definitely take Denman on again next year. Ruby did say he didn't jump quite so well today - he hit the top of a couple of them and turning for home Ruby felt he wasn't going to get there.

"He never quite seemed to be himself and didn't quite run up to his best.

"If he won today he'd be there with the all-time greats, but maybe he can do that next year.

"It was an absolutely ferocious performance from Denman. I'm sure we'll have him in the rematch.

"I'm not deeply disappointed - I've had a good ride and it hasn't been a bad year.

"I'll talk to Paul now. He had been on about going to Liverpool but I think we might leave it."

Neptune Collonges could only manage eighth in the race last year but continued on an upward curve by finishing on the heels of Kauto Star, who denied him second by a short head.

His owner John Hales said: "That was certainly his best performance and he will be going to Punchestown now. I expect they will be delighted to have him there.

"He was wonderful and I have to say that Denman was too good for us on the day, but Kauto wasn't as we very nearly beat him.

"I'm not too surprised how he ran as he absolutely ran away with a race at Wincanton with top weight. He's so balanced and Mick Fitzgerald said he was a pleasure to ride."

Further behind was Exotic Dancer in fifth.

"When he made a mistake Tony (McCoy) had to really get after him and after that he was struggling," said trainer Jonjo O'