'It's never going to be dull or easy watching Kauto Star'

So what manner of animal do we have in Kauto Star? A bewitchingly exceptional one who looks vulnerable to just one horse in training – himself. His supporters will insist he is not a bad jumper, but even the most purblind admirer cannot maintain he is a good jumper of fences. Two palpable howlers yesterday – four from home and again at the last – would have put paid to lesser horses, but he merely shrugged them off like a very classy middleweight taking one on the chin before resuming normal service and moving in for the kill.

It happened two out in the Tingle Creek, so we know it isn’t stopping him, but the worrying common theme of these mistakes is that every time he makes one he is doing the well-nigh impossible – wrong-footing Ruby Walsh.

The jockey said afterwards: “I don’t know why he does it.” But what I suspect he really means is: I wish the hell I knew how he does it, and that the silly fellow would give me a bit of warning that he was about to.