Kicking King, winner of the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup, has been ruled out of the blue-riband event on Friday week – and will instead be trained with Punchestown in mind.

Kicking King, winner of the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup, has been ruled out of the blue-riband event on Friday week.

TOM Taaffe identified a trapped nerve as a possible reason for Kicking King’s lacklustre show at Gowran last week.

Tom Taaffe identified a trapped nerve as a possible reason for Kicking King’s lacklustre show at Gowran last week.

Kicking King was a disappointing third behind shock winner Ballistraw in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park.

KICKING King moves into phase two of his comeback programme in Saturday’s Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park, with trainer Tom Taaffe confident everything is going according to plan.

Kicking King moves into phase two of his comeback programme in Saturday’s Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park, with trainer Tom Taaffe confident everything is going according to plan.

KICKING KING pleased trainer Tom Taaffe in a workout yesterday morning prior to his run in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran on Saturday.

KICKING King was reported to be in “super” form yesterday by trainer Tom Taaffe following his excellent comeback run at Gowran Park.

TIDAL BAY is now the clear favourite for the Cheltenham Arkle Trophy and at the top of the betting for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase after one of the Festival’s big Irish hopes, Glencove Marina, was ruled out for the season yesterday.

Cheltenham officials do not anticipate any significant weather problems ahead of their informative meeting on Saturday.

Wednesday’s re-scheduled meeting at Fairyhouse has been abandoned as the course is still waterlogged.

KICKING King is still set to make his long-awaited comeback in the rearranged Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse.

CORK have called a precautionary inspection for 8am on Sunday.

Kicking King is still poised to return to the track this month – but not at Thurles.

Strong Flow, winner of the 2003 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, could return to big-race action in the Betfred Gold Cup.

MARTIN BRASSIL is hoping Navan’s meeting on Saturday can beat the weather so that late Queen Mother Champion Chase defector Nickname can take his chance in the Russell Restaurant An Uaimh Chase.

Tom Taaffe’s 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kicking King has begun his long road to recovery.

Kicking King, the winner of the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup, will not be racing this season.

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.

TOM TAAFFE has issued an upbeat bulletin on sidelined 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kicking King.