Taaffe Ponders King Plan

Kicking King, winner of last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup, could drop back in trip to two miles when he starts back on the road to regaining his crown.

The eight-year-old has been sidelined by a tendon problem since winning the King George VI Chase at Sandown last December.

Trainer Tom Taaffe reports the Old Vic gelding to be making good progress and is looking forward to getting him back in action.

'He's made a great recovery. He's been exercising and riding out for the last month to six weeks and he's in great shape,' he told At The Races.

Although Kicking King is recovering well, Taaffe will not hurry him along and he is planning an easy return to action, possibly over a shorter trip.

'We will start off around Christmas ? it won't be the King George or anything to that effect though,' he added.

'We'll start off low key with him next year, I might even start him at two miles, I'll think about that.

'His whole campaign next year will be based on one day, Gold Cup day. All things being equal, he will have two runs before that then a rest and a preparation for Cheltenham.

'In about 10 days or a fortnight he will go out into very small paddocks, we don't really want him galloping madly out in fields.

'He'll go out then for the next six or seven weeks, then we'll start off quietly with a view to brining him back very slowly.'

? PA Sport