Taaffe Seeking Gold

Tom Taaffe believes Cane Brake is improving rapidly enough to justify a crack at the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 16.

The County Kildare-based handler saddled Kicking King to a memorable triumph in the Festival feature back in 2005 and feels his progressive charge can enter calculations this year.

But despite winning two of Ireland's most valuable handicaps on his last two starts, Taaffe concedes Kauto Star and Exotic Dancer will prove very hard to repel at Cheltenham.

He said: 'He's had three runs (this season) and after a second in a two-mile race at Galway he won the Troytown very easily and was very good again at Leopardstown in the Paddy Power.

'They are hard handicaps to win and he's going the right way, but we'll freshen him up and go to Cheltenham with him as a fresh horse.

'I'm not saying he'd win a Gold Cup, but there's prize money for the first six,' he told At The Races.

'We all know that if Kauto Star gets things right he is a very classy horse and it'll be very tough for everyone else, but I think it could be equally tough for him to get it right round there.

'I think the horse we have to beat after that is Exotic Dancer as he loves the track and has been improving all season and put up a really good performance last weekend.'

(C) PA Sport