Kicking King

Originally posted by Galileo@Feb 15 2008, 07:13 PM
Kicking King 11/8 with Paddy Power...any takers?
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Not in a million years. Got through his comeback race fine and well, but 11/8 for a horse that has been off for more than two years on the back of an egg and spoon job? Not a chance.

Looks a fairly decent field as well. Would be nice to see Justified back to his best.

I'd be as happy as the next lad to see him canter in tommorrow, but that price is crazy.
 
just hope KK comes on from its first run back, so many put a moderate effort next time out after an injury like his, but hey hes a champ and I think he'll be ok

come on KK :clap:
 
KK very disappointing, unfortunately it looks like he may have "gone".

The winner looks a tough customer, dam is a half-sister to Moorcroft Boy.
 
Given an easy time or not that was disappointing in the context of what he will have to do in March.

Imagine connections will be hoping he just bounced today but unless the vibes become extremely positive you couldnt fancy him for a Gold Cup effort. Perhaps give him more time for Aintree and Punchestown.
 
Kicking King's trainer Tom Taaffe said: "Obviously I'd have been much happier if he'd have won.



"If he's still fine in the next couple of days it's still onwards for the Gold Cup.



"There'll be no pressure now going into the Gold Cup. I always said from day one I was training him for one day and I still am."
 
Aspirant Gold Cup winners don't get chased down by 33/1 outsiders, regardless of whether they wanted to give him an easy race (and I doubt that too as they'd want to get a decent run into him just to try and find out where he is). My immediate reaction was Punchestown. What is it now? 27 days or something? I really can't see that going to Cheltenham makes much sense now, especially with Neptune Collonges also looming up in the picture. Top 6 at best, and even then you'd have to think he's more likely to fail to complete based on that.
 
Surely he should look at a different target?

Isnt it true that when a horse comes back , its often the case that they dont stretch out the same, almost as if the pain is a reminder? He did it last time of course, but it was almost as if he couldnt go through with it today
 
On todays showing, Cheltenham would seem a futile exercise. You dont prep a horse for a Gold Cup by holding him up two out. At very best, he could surely only hope for third and even that seems unlikely.

If he doesnt have it anymore, Taafe has to realise that he horse owes no-one anything. He has provided me with fantastic racing days and id rather not his legacy tarnished by seeing him run like this
 
Would agree with that. A horse ive enjoyed immensely and one that was alittle underappreciated i sometimes feel
 
I think the trainer has done well by the horse so far, as indeed have the owners. They'll only go to Cheltenham if they are happy with him.
 
KK a shadow of former self...never looked like winning at any stage...please retire him....Cheltenham is a total pipedream

mind you...it's a good job BOS didn't run in it and win or there would be folk rating the race off KK and giving BOS a 190 rating :dork:

these Irish prep races eh?
 
Originally posted by useful@Feb 13 2008, 12:40 PM
I don't know the actual stats for the "bounce" theory, although some people have argued that it is far less common among the higher class horses.
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Apparently there's quite a high % of horses bouncing, after winning on comeback from a long layoff, but I don't have the actual stats

The winner was full of running at the end and looks like a classic Irish 'sleeper' to me :rolleyes:
As for poor KK, I agree that he may be now feeling or remembering the pain of his injury and it would be better to find another opportunity for him than the Gold Cup, off level weights, esp since he's now dropped so far. Imo he needs to be found a winning opportunity, for his own self-confidence and well-being, if they are to carry on with him

But some owners just like to have a runner in the GC. Hope they do right by him
 
I'm not sure KK bounced. The form of his first race wasnt as good as it looked. Looks like a rotten race now, with Nickname off colour and Newmill gone at the game.
 
I wouldn't give up on him yet if he was my horse. As long as KK remains injury free, why not still head to Cheltenham. shrug:: After more schooling who knows what may happen. It takes time. He is a class horse and although he may not be good enough to win at Cheltenham, how many owners would just love the chance of having a horse good enough even to compete. If Cheltenham comes to soon for adequate preparation, and yet KK remains sound, there will surely be other races and opportunities for him.
 
My thinking Kathy is simply that truly good horses as KK has been, get very demoralised when they are beaten; so psychologically I think he need to win eg a good handicap or maybe a Grade 3 chase before competing again in top level Graded races at equal weights
 
Interesting to see what they decide to do with him next, HS. Who would want to be a racehorse trainer of a good horse with all the pressure and media interest. :) The eyes of the racing world are fixated on your every decision - whether it's the right one or wrong one.
 
Kicking King set for gallop ten days ahead of Gold Cup



by Tony O'Hehir


A GALLOP about ten days before the race will determine whether Kicking King will take his chance in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The 10-year-old was taken out of some bookmakers' betting for the Gold Cup after he finished a disappointing third behind 33-1 shot Ballistraw in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park on Saturday.

However his trainer Tom Taaffe on Sunday reported Kicking King, who had run with such promise when splitting Nickname and Newmill at Gowran last month on his first run since the 2005 King George, to still be in the Gold Cup mix.

Taaffe said: "We'll see how he is over the next couple of weeks. He will do a couple of bits of work and his final gallop will be about ten days before the Gold Cup. If he works well he will go to Cheltenham. If we aren't happy he won't go."
 
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