King on course for KG

KICKING KING has come through his first serious piece of work since his Haydock defeat with flying colours.

Last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup hero is firmly on course to bid for back-to-back victories in the King George VI Chase at Sandown on St Stephen's Day. The seven-year-old suffered a foot injury when finishing third to Kingscliff and Beef Or Salmon in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last month.

He had two nails from his shoe pierce his hoof wall during the race, but he pleased Taaffe enough with a spin on Tuesday for the County Kildare trainer to up his work yesterday.