Tom Taaffe believes Punchestown racegoers will see the "real Kicking King" in action when he lines up for Wednesday´s Guinness Gold Cup.
The former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner missed this year´s Festival at Prestbury Park as he was failing to sparkle beforehand, but is back in top shape for another crack at a race he won in 2005.
"He´s great and his preparation has been uninterrupted," said Taaffe.
"He´s in great form, he looks well and we´re very much looking forward to Wednesday.
"The only reason he missed Cheltenham was that he just wasn´t sparkling and I couldn´t get him to fire at the time so we had to be patient.
"He´s a livewire for next week and you´ll see the real Kicking King.
"The only place you can really tell is on the racetrack but he´s looking well, eating well and working very well.
"He´s giving the right vibes and his eyes are big and bright," he told At The Races.
Kicking King features among the 15 horses engaged, along with last year´s winner Neptune Collonges and Ryanair Chase runner-up Mossbank.
Other interesting possibles include Cloudy Lane, Mister Top Notch and Beef Or Salmon, who is set to bring down the curtain on his tremendous career.
William Hill´s Irish spokesman Tony Kenny said: "Neptune Collonges looks like he´ll be the one to beat on Wednesday.
"On all known form he´s entitled to be favourite for the race and I wouldn´t be too surprised if he went off around even-money.
"Beef Or Salmon´s best years have been and gone and it would be a massive surprise if he won the race.
"However, he is a massive favourite with the punters, and we´re expecting to see a good bit of sentimental money for the old fella on Wednesday."
(C) PA Sport
