King ready for Red-letter day

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

The 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner made an eye-catching return to action behind Nickname in the Normans Grove Chase after an absence of 759 days.

Taaffe had to decide between the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown last weekend and the Red Mills on Saturday and made his decision purely on the timing of the races.

“His work this morning went well. Everything went well, thank God,” said Taaffe.

“It was down to the timing why he didn’t run in the Hennessy. He would have had only two and a half weeks between races if he had run, and after such a long lay-off we thought it better to wait for this Saturday.

“The conditions for the Red Mills are ideal, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Dusty Sheehy reports Justified to be in great heart as the nine-year-old bids to boost his Cheltenham prospects at Gowran.

Sheehy has given him entries in both the Red Mills Chase and the Red Mills Centenary Trial Hurdle, and is favouring the race over the bigger obstacles.

Justified has not run since picking up a leg injury when trailing home last of eight finishers behind Mossbank at Clonmel in November.

“He’s in great form, we’re more than happy with the horse,” said Sheehy.

“He schooled at the Curragh the other morning and jumped very well. We’re glad to have the horse back to himself.

“He’s very well-in in the hurdle, so I’ve had to put that under consideration, but I’m leaning more towards the chase.”

The County Kilkenny trainer had planned to get the gelding back into action in the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown two weeks ago.

“We were going to go for the Tied Cottage but we had other options and decided to go to Gowran,” Sheehy went on.

“He’s entered in the Queen Mother (at Cheltenham), but he’ll go for the Ryanair.”

Michael Hourigan intends to be represented in both the Red Mills features on Saturday.

The trainer said: “Arteea and Hi Cloy are in good form and both should run in the steeplechase, while Field Commander will probably go to Gowran as well for the Centenary Trial Hurdle.”

No decision has been made on future plans for Beef Or Salmon following his failed bid to win the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup a fourth time.

The 12-year-old, winner of 10 Grade One races and almost £1million in prize money, was a never-dangerous fifth to The Listener in the Leopardstown showpiece on Sunday.

Hourigan all but ruled out the John Smith’s Grand National after the race and was instead considering Beef Or Salmon for the Irish equivalent.

The Patrickswell, Co Limerick trainer will now sit down with the owners, headed by Joe Craig, to discuss the next move.

“I haven’t discussed it with the owners yet,” said Hourigan. The horse is fine and out in the paddock. He’s in good form.”