Kicking King and Harchibald make it a great day for Irish

IT WAS a great day for the Irish at Kempton yesterday with Tom Taaffe’s Kicking King winning the King George and Noel Meade’s Harchibald taking the Christmas Hurdle.

Both are now among the market leaders for the Gold Cup and the Champion Hurdle.

But not even Father Christmas could derail Kicking King as he provided the festive cheer with a splendid success in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton Park yesterday.