
WHAT was expected to be a winning comeback for Gold Cup hero Kicking King failed to materialise on Thursday at Punchestown when War Of Attrition entered the Gold Cup picture after spoiling the party for Ireland's highest-rated steeplechaser in theDaily Star Chase.
Running over this two and three-quarter mile trip for the second time in his career, War Of Attrition was held up by Conor O'Dwyer before creeping ever closer from the fourth last.
Kicking King, the 30-100 favourite, held the call into the straight but the veteran O'Dwyer and the six-year-old young pretender had him firmly in his sights and the 7-1 chance hit the front after the second last.
The pair kept up the gallop to run out the three-length winner, prompting trainer Mouse Morris to say: "I always knew he was a good horse and I still maintain that opinion. Today was probably the first time you all saw it."
The beaten favourite in both the Arkle and Grade 1 John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase will head to Down Royal next month.
"He'll run in either the Killultagh Properties Chase over two and a half miles or else the James Nicholson over three miles," said Morris.
"He looked like he will get three miles but it's too early to say, added the trainer. We'll wait for Down Royal and look then at Christmas but regarding Cheltenham we still have the Ryanair Chase in mind but that could change, I suppose."
Bookmakers reacted by cutting Ryanair boss Michael OLearys-owned emerging star for the Gold Cup with both Boylesports and Paddy Power going 10-1 (from 20).
Before racing trainer Tom Taaffe had admitted Kicking King was "not fully fit" ahead of next month's Betfair Lancashire Chase at Haydock on November 19, the first leg of the Betfair million available to the winner of that race to follow up in both the King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Kicking King, who had jumped almost flawlessly throughout, had no answer when the winner asserted his authority between the final two fences, but Taaffe remarked: "I'm very, very happy extremely happy with that.
Obviously it's nicer to win but I have what I wanted, a race under his belt, and I can now land him at Haydock spot on. I'm happier now than I was after he got beat at Down Royal last year and he was as fit today as he was going to Gowran 12 months ago."
Barry Geraghty summed up the race when he said: "Kicking King got tired after the second last and just blew up as you'd expect on his first run back, but he'll come on a hell of a lot from that."
Taaffe outlined a programme that means Kicking King won't run in Ireland again until Punchestown next April.
"It's Haydock next followed by the King George and then back to Cheltenham."
Only six horses have won the Gold Cup more than once, the most recentof course being Best Mate, and Paddy Power eased Kicking King to 5-2 (from 2) for a repeat to join Easter Hero, Golden Miller, L'Escargot, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate.
Pizarro, 18 lengths back in third behind Kicking Kick when this pair clashed in the Guinness Gold Cup last April, was just a short head adrift this time and looks another open to improvement, while Strong Project, who led for a long time was well outclassed when the race developed after the fourth last.
Fad saol agat,gob fliuch,agus bas in Eirinn..
long life to you,a wet mouth,and death in Ireland
long life to you,a wet mouth,and death in Ireland
