High Hopes For King Return Tom Taaffe is hopeful his 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kicking King will be able to return to the fray next year.Sidelined by injury since winning the King George VI Chase over 18 months ago, the nine-year-old has been pleasing his County Kildare-based handler in his recovery.However, Taaffe warns the critical point will come when Kicking King has the finishing touches put to his preparation before his scheduled return.'It's hard to know until you get to pushing the buttons and that's the last fortnight or so before you actually run,' he explained.'He won't come back until after Christmas ? we could come back before but I won't ? and that's really when the telling point comes,' he told At The Races.'If I was a gambling man, at this point I'd be saying he'll be fine but of course we'll just have to see.'(C) PA Sport
