King Gives Rivals A Kicking

Kicking King landed a famous victory for Ireland in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on the final day of the Festival today. Ridden by Barry Geraghty and trained by Tom Taaffe, whose father Pat rode the mighty Arkle to a hat-trick of victories in the 1960s, Kicking King showed he stayed every yard of the extended three-and-a-quarter-mile trip.

Kicking King, the 4-1 favourite, took it up at the third-last and shook off a brave bid by the outsider Take The Stand to storm clear up the hill.

Take The Stand (25-1) was five lengths behind in second place, with last year?s runner-up Sir Rembrandt (12-1) a further eight lengths away in third.

As expected Grey Abbey took the field along from Take The Stand, with Kicking King in midfield and Beef Or Salmon held up towards the rear.

Truckers Tavern became detached from the others after putting his hind legs in the water, and Beef Or Salmon was clumsy at the ninth before getting a reminder from Paul Carberry?s whip at the 10th.

At halfway, Kicking King had moved into fifth place just behind Strong Flow. Pizarro fell at the 18th, where Grey Abbey still led, but Kicking King was going ominously well.

He took up the running at the third-last and had all his rivals beaten off apart from Take The Stand, who looked threatening under Tony Dobbin.

Kicking King, winner of the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, then had to dig deep into his stamina reserves, which he did in style to give the Irish their eighth winner of the meeting.

Geraghty, who won the Queen Mother Champion Chase on the great Moscow Flyer on Wednesday, told Channel 4 Racing: 'I am fortunate enough to have possibly the two best chasers on the go at the minute - he is some tool.

'I was running away all the time, jumping brilliantly over the last three. Unbelievable - and he is only seven years old.'

Kicking King had been a doubtful runner just over a fortnight ago when he did not appear 100 per cent, but he recovered to take his chance.

Trainer Taaffe said: 'I said to Barry not to let him go until late, and just save him until the last circuit.

'When we thought he was out of the race, we were shattered. The owner told me that when I rang him, he was in Spain, and he pulled the car over, stopped it and didn?t move for two hours.

'I would like to emphasise that it was the horse that told me that he should come here, not me. He was just so well that we persevered.'

Peter Bowen, the trainer of Take The Stand, said: 'It was a good run, wasn?t it?

'He?s always been a good horse on this ground and at the top of the hill I was hoping. I?m delighted with him. It?s the best season I?ve ever had and we?ve won about 500 grand.

'He might go to Aintree or for the Scottish National. He?s got 11-3 in the Grand National and according to that bit of form he?s well in, so we?ll have to see.

'He made a few mistakes early on but his jumping warmed up as the race went on. He was desperately unlucky in the Welsh National. He was cantering when he came down. He?s some horse. We only gave 20 grand for him at Doncaster Sales a couple of years ago.'

Dobbin added: 'At the top of hill I was going very well and thought for a minute he might do it, because I knew he would stay and I had reservations about the other horse staying.

'But he just quickened away from mine.'

(c) PA Sport