Monet's Garden jumps clear at the last to see off Kauto Star

Kauto Star lost his opening race of the season but gave his supporters plenty of cheer after finishing second by a length and a half to Monet's Garden.

The 11-10 favourite, a brilliant winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, gave 14 pounds to Tony Dobbin's mount in the Old Roan Handicap Chase at Aintree.

But after looking uninterested at times, he produced a stirring finish and almost got up to win.

Ashley Brook fell after a bad mistake when leading four fences from home.

Interview: Jockey Tony Dobbin

That left the only other runner in the race, Exotic Dancer, to come in third.

Kauto Star capped a dominant 2006-07 season with his sixth victory from six runs when landing the Gold Cup in March.

In 22 races in France and Britain, he has been victorious 12 times and is the first horse to have won over £2m in prize money over jumps.

606: DEBATE Hit or miss? Your verdict on Kauto Star's return

Trainer Paul Nicholls said: "Obviously Monet's Garden was going to be hard to beat today.

"(Kauto Star) ran a bit lazy mid-race but he's a true stayer and wants three miles.

"They went a fair old gallop in front. We hoped we'd outstayed them, but Monet's Garden is a specialist two-and-a-half mile horse."

In a race over sixteen fences, Ruby Walsh settled Kauto Star in third early on, and the horse jumped well but occasionally laboured under the weight between fences.

Winning jockey Dobbin, whose nine-year-old grey started at 9-4, said: "The ground felt really slow on him.

"He gave himself a breather but he's a very genuine horse. Kauto Star has also run a very good race."

Kauto Star was left unchanged at 7-4 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with VC Bet, who cut Monet's Garden to 6-1 from 10-1 for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase (Aintree)
1. Monet's Garden (A Dobbin) 9-4
2. Kauto Star (R Walsh) 11-10f
3. Exotic Dancer (A P McCoy) 9-2
Non Runner: Le Volfoni, 4 ran

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