Kicking King takes Gold Cup
Despite being ruled out for health reasons a fortnight ago, Favourite Kicking King came into the field to land a heavy gamble today when taking the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on the final day of the Festival.
The only doubt was over Kicking King's stamina, but the horse - ridden by Barry Geraghty and trained by Tom Taaffe, whose father Pat rode Arkle to a hat-trick of victories in the 1960s - showed he stayed every yard of the extended three-and-a-quarter-mile trip.
The 4-1 favourite, took it up at the third-last and shook off a brave bid by the 25-1 outsider Take The Stand to storm clear up the hill, with last year's runner-up Sir Rembrandt (12-1) a further eight lengths away in third.
Geraghty, who won the Queen Mother Champion Chase on the great Moscow Flyer on Wednesday, said: "I am fortunate enough to have possibly the two best chasers on the go at the minute.
"I was running away all the time, jumping brilliantly over the last three. Unbelievable - and he is only seven years old."