King On Comeback Trail Tom Taaffe has reported 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kicking King to be recovering well from the tendon injury he sustained when beating Monkerhostin in last year's King George VI Chase.That was the eight-year-old's second victory in the Christmas showpiece event but he will not be trying for a hat-trick this term.Taaffe has instead earmarked a small conditions race over a trip just further than two miles at Leopardstown on the same day on what will hopefully be his first step on the ladder to reclaiming his Cheltenham crown.'First and foremost we are very happy with the horse,' said Taaffe.'This week he has been cantering away and we are going to bring him back for a two-mile-one-furlong conditions race at Leopardstown on Boxing Day.'Everything is geared towards Cheltenham and I would imagine he will be having another run at the end of January or the first week in February before heading to the Festival,' he told At The Races.'The first time we are going to meet War Of Attrition or any of those horses will be in the Gold Cup I would think, but that won't worry me. He has won two King Georges and a Gold Cup already.'(C) PA Sport
