Taaffe happy with former champ’s progress

KICKING King moves into phase two of his comeback programme in Saturday’s Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park, with trainer Tom Taaffe confident everything is going according to plan.

After more than two years away from the action, the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner made his first appearance since his victory in the King George in the Normans Grove Chase, also at Gowran.

Kicking King ran brilliantly under the circumstances, finishing second to Nickname and just ahead of Newmill over an inadequate two-mile trip on heavy ground.