Geraghty guides Kicking King home Kicking King staked his Cheltenham Festival claims with a workmanlike victory in the Baileys Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup Novice Chase at Leopardstown today. Winning trainer Tom Taaffe has the Irish Independent Arkle Chase in mind as Kicking King´s Festival target and was encouraged by the way the progressive six-year-old jumped in today´s Grade One event. He said: 'I was very pleased with the way he jumped and battled but I was slightly disappointed that he wasn´t as fresh as I would have liked him to have been. 'The good thing is we´ve now got seven and a half weeks to take him home and freshen him right back up again before Cheltenham. 'That´s one Arkle won - now we need to try and make it two.' Bookmakers immediately cut Kicking King to 5-1 from 6s for Cheltenham. Barry Geraghty always had the 11-10 favourite in touch with the front-running Mossy Green and, after joining the leader three out, drew steadily clear to beat the staying-on Central House (3-1). Central House had taken advantage of Kicking King´s fall at the second-last when winning here over Christmas but the latter took his revenge today, scoring by three and a half lengths. Geraghty was completing a double after winning the opening Saltan Properties Maiden Hurdle on 11-10 favourite John Oliver. French raider Foreman was a surprise winner of the feature AIG Europe Champion Hurdle. Trained and ridden by Thierry Doumen, the 8-1 chance was always in touch with the leaders, Davenport Milenium and Fota Island, but appeared to be struggling off the home turn. However, a good jump at the final flight put the JP McManus owned-gelding in with a chance and under a strong ride from Doumen, Foreman got up on the line to beat 25-1 shot Georges Girl by a head. Doumen confirmed that the Smurfit Champion Hurdle would be Foreman´s Festival target. Fota Island, carrying McManus´s second colours, kept on for third with 5-2 favourite Spirit Leader back in fourth. Davenport Milenium dropped out after the second-last while Flame Creek raced keenly early on and could never land a blow in a race run at only a steady pace, eventually finishing sixth. Watson Lake, a chance ride for 3lb claimer Ian Power after Paul Carberry gave up the mount as he was feeling the effects of a fall yesterday, ran out the impressive winner of the betfair.com Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle. The 7-4 favourite was dropped out last of the nine runners as firstly Snapper Creek and then Away Home cut out the pace in the Grade Three event. Power brought Watson Lake wide of the rest of the field off the home turn and Noel Meade´s charge showed a smart turn of speed to quicken ahead of Away Home approaching the final flight. The result was never in doubt as Watson Lake strode clear to score eased down by four lengths. Bennie´s Pride benefited from a patient ride from Davy Russell to record a convincing success in the Clarkson Financial & Property Handicap Chase. Cyborsun cut out the early pace in the Listed contest, over two miles and three furlongs, but a blunder three out ruined his chances and it was Fiery Ring who went on. But all the while Russell had been making relentless headway to track the leader on Bennie´s Pride. A good jump at the last carried the 7-1 shot to the front and he stayed on strongly to beat Fiery Ring (25-1) by two lengths. Snowy Ford (12-1) was third of the 15 runners. Russell, who left his job as stable jockey to trainer Ferdy Murphy last week, was delighted to be riding his first winner since returning to Ireland on Michael O´Brien´s Bennie´s Pride. He said: 'My split with Ferdy was sudden. He asked me to make a decision and I made it. I haven´t come back with any solid plans but Mr O´Brien has been good to me in the past and I am pleased to be able to return the favour. 'I will spread myself about as much as possible and work as hard as I can.'
