Kauto Star beat stablemate Denman to win March's Cheltenham Gold Cup

Paul Nicholls does not expect to train a better horse than Kauto Star, who has been named Horse of the Year to reclaim a title he last won in 2007.

The nine-year-old claimed the crown at the Anglo-Irish National Hunt Classifications with a 186 rating, the joint best in the 10 years of ratings.

"He's something else and I'll never train another like him," Nicholls said of the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.

Kauto Star also claimed the award for the Champion Three-Mile Chaser.

Nicholls also saw Master Minded, who had set the 186 ratings benchmark in 2008, win the Two-Mile Chaser title, with Big Buck's named Champion Staying Hurdler.

"I am so delighted Kauto Star has now been truly recognised," added the Somerset-based trainer.

606: DEBATE Kauto Star as Horse of the Year is rightly deserved famouskautostar

"Last season he may not have been at his best, but he has been back to his best this season. He is as well as ever and I hope he stays that way."

He reclaimed the title from Denman just as he had the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March, a run British Horseracing Authority head of handicapping Phil Smith likened to those of Arkle.

Smith said: "In terms of a Gold Cup-winning performance, there has been nothing like him since Arkle in the 1960s.

"In our 10 years he is our best three-mile chaser and he was more impressive this year than Denman was the year before."

• 2009 Awards

Horse of the Year - Kauto Star (186)
Champion Novice Hurdler - Hurricane Fly (157)
Champion Novice Chaser - Cooldine (160)
Champion two-mile Hurdler - Binocular (169)
Champion two-mile Chaser - Master Minded (178)
Champion two-and-a-half-mile Hurdler - Big Buck's (174)
Champion two-and-a-half-mile Chaser - Exotic Dancer & Voy Por Ustedes (171)
Champion three-mile Chaser - Kauto Star (186)

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