King loses Attrition battle

Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Kicking King suffered a shock defeat on his reappearance as War Of Attrition powered to victory in the Daily Star Chase at Punchestown.

Tom Taaffe’s seven-year-old, sent off the 30-100 favourite, travelled well throughout the two-mile-six-furlong contest under Barry Geraghty but could not match the winner’s telling burst of pace two fences from home.