OUTSTANDING QUALITIES

Class: Winner of 16 Grade 1 races - a British and Irish record until Hurricane Fly surpassed it. Unbeaten in six races in 2006/7 all Grade 1 or 2.

Speed: He twice won the two mile championship race, the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Stamina: Twice a winner of the three mile, two furlong Cheltenham Gold Cup

Official rating: Timeform rated Kauto Star as the joint-third best chaser in their history. His rating of 191 is equal to Mill House and surpassed only by Arkle on 212 and Flyingbolt on 210. His official rating was 190 in 2011.

Official praise: The race analysis of 2009 King George win went: “Jumped superbly, settled midfield, steady progress 9th, went 2nd 12th and soon clear of rest, led on long run to 3 out, swept clear, magnificent” - rarely seen comments.

Durability: Raced for eight seasons at the top of National Hunt racing and competed at Cheltenham on seven consecutive years - all in Grade 1 races including six Gold Cups.

Resilience: You could never write him off even after a defeat. Following his heroic but tired second place to Denman in the 2008 Gold Cup, he went down fighting three weeks later at Aintree when beaten just a nose by Our Vic.

He returned from a very bad fall in the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup to win at Down Royal, came back after virtually everyone had written him off when he was pulled up at Punchestown in 2010 to win a fourth Betfair Chase and an historic fifth King George Chase in 2011.

Flaws: He didn’t always get it right and fans had often to hold their breath as he approached the last. He also suffered two bad falls at Cheltenham in the two mile Champion Chase in 2006 and the 2010 Gold Cup.

TRIBUTES

Ruby Walsh on his Paddy Power blog: "He was without a doubt the best chaser I've ever ridden - a horse in a lifetime. I'll never ride one as good as him again. How could you? Just look at his record.

He was a wonderful horse to ride and he gave me some of the best days I'll ever have as a jockey. Kauto, very simply, was one of the greatest jump horses in history.”

Paul Nicholls: "He was the champion of all champions really, and I was very lucky to have him in a golden era. I'm just looking at his box right now and he's got all those plaques from his 16 Grade 1s, from Tingle Creeks all the way through to Gold Cups and King Georges, he was just the horse of a lifetime. When he left it was a big hole we had to fill in everyone's lives

Anthony Bromley, bloodstock advisor: "I bought him from France for Clive as a four-year-old and he was a truly great horse. He gave us some wonderful days and was at the top for a remarkable eight seasons. He was the best I've been associated with and I remember his career as Grade 1 win after Grade 1 win."

Tony McCoy - former champion jockey: "It's very sad news to hear of the death of Kauto Star as he was a legend of a horse and the most complete chaser of the modern era. Any horse that wins five King Georges and two Gold Cups is something special. It's a sad loss and my condolences go out to all concerned."

Sam Thomas, former jockey: "It's a terrible shame that Kauto Star has had to be put down as he gave me a great day when we won the Betfair Chase. I was very lucky to be part of the team then and I was fortunate enough to experience how good he was. I feel honoured to have been able to play a small part in the incredible career of a true great.”