King set for Fairyhouse kick-off
After winning the blue riband event in 2005, the 10-year-old won twice more at Grade One level but has been absent since landing the King George VI Chase over two years ago.
Taaffe has gradually nursed Kicking King back to health and is now looking forward to taking the wraps off him in the Grade Two Normans Grove Chase on Sunday.
Taaffe said: “He’s not run for two years so Sunday will be all about getting the rustiness out of him and getting some match practice again.
“He’s fit and well and we’ll hope he runs a good race but he’s obviously lacking a bit of practice.
“We’ll get it out of the way over two miles, which should sharpen him up, and bring out a better horse again the next day.
“I want to try to get him to a Gold Cup and if we can, I want to get him there in the best possible shape we can so this is a stepping stone towards that.”
Providing things go to plan this weekend, Taaffe envisages giving Kicking King one more run before heading to Cheltenham in March.
“Ideally, I’d probably like to come back for the Irish Hennessy (Leopardstown, February 10), but if it is going to be very heavy I might have a rethink on that,” he told At The Races.
“I might sooner go to Gowran for the Red Mills Chase over two and a half miles.”
Impressive recent Cork winner J’y Vole is unlikely to be seen in action in Grade Three company at Thurles on Thursday.
Willie Mullins was delighted with her excellent chasing debut but is keen to take things slowly and also has the progressive Pomme Tiepy entered in the Coolmore National Hunt Sires EBF Mares Novice Chase.
Mullins said: “J’y Vole probably won’t run on Thursday, but we’ll see how she is tomorrow. She is entered at Naas on Saturday too and we’ll just see how she progresses, but Pomme Tiepy will definitely run on Thursday, all being well.
“J’y Vole was very impressive first time, but over hurdles she would have been a bit better class-wise than the others, so the fact she jumped well was the main thing.
“We’ll take it one race at a time with her but I’m delighted she handled Cheltenham so well last year in the Triumph, when she was the first Irish horse home.
“That would suggest she’d stay and we’ll go for races of a longer trip.
“I’m just wondering, with all the new races being made for the Cheltenham Festival, whether we should be looking for a two-and-a-half-mile novice chase. We could just be crying out for it. A lot of people don’t like running in the SunAlliance and run in the Arkle even though two miles is too short, so there is a good case there.”
Meanwhile, popular mare Sweet Kiln will attempt to claim a repeat victory in the Bank Of Ireland Hurdle at Naas this weekend before her sights are set on Cheltenham.
Michael Bowe’s consistent front-runner is the 11-4 favourite with Coral for the inaugural running of the David Nicholson Mares Only Hurdle at the Festival and the trainer is keen on her chances.
Sweet Kiln trounced Studmaster in this conditions event a year ago on heavy ground, but proved her adaptability on a much quicker surface when winning the woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.
“She’s in great order and she’s in at Naas this Saturday,” said Bowe. “I could not have been happier with her since Leopardstown and it is basically a case of keeping her fresh and well until Cheltenham.
“The mares hurdle is the obvious race for her there.
“She was initially given a reputation as a mudlark, but she has proved she isn’t one and provided she stays healthy, she should have a great chance at Cheltenham.”
