King's departure the Central issue

Racing Leopardstown report: It's not often a trainer can grin at a replay of his pride and joy throwing away possible victory but Tom Taaffe made a manful, if slightly rueful, effort at Leopardstown yesterday.

No one will ever know if Kicking King would have beaten Central House if he had stood up at the second-last fence in the Denny Gold Medal Chase but Taaffe could guess. "I don't think I'm wrong in believing I'd have won. Fair play to Central House. They are there to be jumped and he won well. But I'm just happy my horse is back," he said.

The grin was at the prospect of crossing swords again in the Arkle next month over the same course and distance and it will be a race worth watching because the Central House camp believe they would have won anyway.

"It's hard to know for definite but we were only getting going," reported Paul Carberry, who was riding a Grade One winner on his first day back after a broken thumb.

If anything, Dessie Hughes was more certain and said: "I was a bit worried when Kicking King kicked at the third last but Paul says he had plenty in hand. My horse is a natural athlete, intelligent and has great scope. He is an Arkle horse." The Arkle of both the Leopardstown and Cheltenham varieties is also in Taaffe's sights.

"We will come back here, or I might just have a brainwave and send him for a Beginners at Navan first. Most good novices need a fall anyway - I just wish he chose a better day," Taaffe said.

At least he had the consolation of a flamboyant performance from Kicking King up to two out.

The third favourite Xenophon exited at the first. "He never got off the ground," said a dejected Conor O'Dwyer.

Cashmans introduced Top Strategy into their Triumph Hurdle market at 20 to 1 after the ex-Dermot Weld-trained juvenile landed the Grade Two Denny Hurdle. It was easy to see why as Top Strategy quickened past the favourite Al Eile, who in turn had burst clear from the pack before the last. "Pat Shanahan told Ruby (Walsh) he would make a nice hurdler after he won his flat maiden at Cork," said Ted Walsh, who will bring the winner back for the Spring Hurdle on AIG day.

If Taaffe has mixed memories of the afternoon, then Tony Mullins's are of the uncomplicated variety after a treble. McGruders Cross restored his trainer's faith with a defeat of Field Marshall in the first maiden hurdle and then Piercing Sun won the second maiden.

"He loves fast ground, stays forever and has a good handicap mark on the flat. Races like the Cesarewitch or the GPT at Galway would be ideal," he said.

"When McGruders Cross got beaten at Thurles, I nearly collapsed in the stands. I was sick and I still have no answer for what happened. I was surprised then - not today," added Mullins who completed his first treble in two years with Alphazar in the handicap chase.

Piercing Sun's jockey, Pat Murphy, collected a four-day whip ban, and in the first, Patrick Stringer got seven days for making "insufficient effort" on Santa's Girl.

The stewards were also in action in the bumper after the second favourite The Jesuit fell in the straight. Pádraig Roche, who rode the 3 to 1 favourite Theprideofeireann for his father, Christy, was judged to have ridden carelessly and banned for seven days.

The winner, Overbury Affair, could make it to Cheltenham or Aintree, according to Edward O'Grady after his debut success.