Injury rules Kicking King out of Gold Cup
A visibly upset Tom Taaffe revealed the news at Cork Racecourse yesterday. “He has strained his left-fore tendon. He was scanned intensively this morning (Monday) and, on veterinary advice, Conor Clarkson (owner) and I have decided he will not run in the Gold Cup,” said Taffe.
Kicking King was also declared a non-starter about three weeks prior to winning last year’s Gold Cup, having scoped badly.
But he came right ten days later and went on to produce a scintillating performance at Prestbury Park when slamming Take The Stand.
Kicking King disappointed on his first two outings this season, going down to War Of Attrition at Punchestown and then finishing third to Kingscliff and Beef Or Salmon at Haydock.
But his season roared back on track at Sandown in the King George on St Stephen’s Day when beating Monkerhostin in a thriller.
Said Taaffe: “We were aware for a few days that he had suffered a bang of some sort. I would imagine it happened at Sandown.
“The injury is to the upper part of his tendon. If a horse is to have an injury then this is the place to have it.
“He won’t be standing in his box, he will be exercised, we will walk him. There is no reason why he won’t recover fully.
“It is hard to tell, but I could see him being back on the racecourse by next Christmas. He has shown good healing powers in the past. I certainly won’t be rushing him, he will be trained for the 2007 Gold Cup.”
Kicking King had been on offer at a general price of 7-4 for the Gold Cup. Beef Or Salmon, who showed his true form in the Lexus ‘Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas, has now been installed as favourite in most lists.
Coral bet: 5-1 Beef Or Salmon, 11-2 Kingscliff, 9-1 Monkerhostin, 12-1 War Of Attrition, Ollie Magern, 14-1 One Knight, 16-1 bar.
Cashmans bet: 5-1 Beef Or Salmon, 7-1 Monkerhostin, 12-1 L’Ami, Lord Transcend, 14-1 Royal Auclair, Take The Stand, Cyrlight, Forget The Past, 16-1 bar.
On hearing the news about Kicking King, Michael Hourigan, trainer of the new market-leader, said: “That’s the way with horses, you just don’t know.”
He had an upbeat bulletin on Beef Or Salmon. “He is in good order after Leopardstown and I am now getting him ready for the Hennessy, back at Leopardstown.”
It has been a bad couple of days for Irish Cheltenham challengers with ante-post favourite for the Champion Hurdle, Harchibald, currently at the Troytown Hospital on the Curragh, highly unlikely to make the journey.
Said trainer, Noel Meade, yesterday: “The news is good, they (vets) seem very happy with him. The whole thing now is to try avoid infection. He will be having a lot of antibiotics and they can be very downing.
“I don’t know if he is definitely out of the Champion Hurdle, we will have to play it day-by-day.”
