Taaffe Wary Of Haydock Rivals

Tom Taaffe will give full respect to each of Kicking King´s seven rivals in Saturday´s Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.

The totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was among a top-class field declared for the inaugural running of the £150,000 race, the first leg of an eagerly-awaited three-race series.

A £1 million bonus is on offer to the owner of any horse that can win at Haydock before going on to lift the Stan James King George VI Chase at Sandown on Boxing Day and the Gold Cup - both of which were won by Kicking King last year.

The Irish challenger is even-money favourite to put himself in line for the mega bonus and he received a timely boost when War Of Attrition, his conqueror at Punchestown last month, was successful at Clonmel on Thursday.

However, Kicking King faces a strong challenge from some talented rivals including fellow Irish raider Beef Or Salmon, impressive Charlie Hall Chase winner Ollie Magern, Robert Alner´s Kingscliff and Celestial Gold, trained by Martin Pipe.

Taaffe said: 'We´ll take one race at a time and that´s all we can do. First of all we´ll get Saturday over with and then we´ll worry about the other races.

'He´s being aimed at the three races in the Betfair Million and he´s been put in a position where he´s hopefully going to have a chance of doing it, but you have to get over the first bridge before you can go to the second bridge.

'He´s won on all types of ground so the current going will be fine for him, and as for the opposition, well I respect every horse in every race.'

(C) PA Sport