Kicking King to open his account

Punchestown Preview:  Tom Taaffe has already described Kicking King's return to action at Punchestown today as a cobweb-blowing exercise. But despite that, if the Gold Cup champion doesn't win this afternoon an uneasy web might start to spread around the sky-high hopes entertained for him this season.

A £1 million bonus for the treble of Gold Cup, King George and the Beftair Chase at Haydock next month is firmly in Kicking King's sights and with the likes of Best Mate lying in wait for Ireland's young chasing star there will be plenty riding on today's race.

The Daily Star Chase is worth only €33,000 in all but it's attracted some very decent opposition to Kicking King including a trio of Grade One winners, Pizarro, Hi Cloy and, perhaps most interesting of all, War Of Attrition.

Taaffe himself has already nominated War Of Attrition as one of the emerging chasers he reckons might challenge Kicking King in future but the reality at the moment is that the reigning champ is rated over two stone better than Mouse Morris's horse. Kicking King also has 26lb in hand of Pizarro and Hi Cloy so Taaffe is entitled to be confident especially since his stable appears to be in very good form.

"Kicking King wouldn't be 100 per cent fit but I wouldn't want him to be at this stage," the trainer said. "He has been working well and he's a far stronger horse than he ever was before."

Significantly it was over this course last December, in the John Durkan Chase, that Kicking King first indicated his ability to jump exceptionally. He also wound up a memorable 2004-05 season with a saunter round in the Guinness Gold Cup. Now it looks like the 2005-06 term can kick off with a bang at Punchestown.

Kicking King's rider, Barry Geraghty, could have an exceptional day as Taaffe also supplies him with an eye-catching ride in the opening maiden hurdle. Merdeka's win in a bumper last Christmas bumper was not unexpected and the horse who was runner-up that day, Eye On The Ball, looks like being his big danger again here. Both are making their jumping debuts and although Eye On The Ball is highly rated he didn't look the most straightforward ride at Cheltenham last March. Geraghty can also score on the Dermot Weld-trained Queen Astrid.

On the international front, Michael Kinane has picked up another Grade One ride at Woodbine on Sunday night where he will ride Iota for the German trainer Peter Schiergen in the $1 million EP Taylor Stakes. Also figuring is the Godolphin filly Punctilious who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori.

Kinane is in Toronto principally for the ride on the Italian champion Electrocutionist in the $2 million Canadian International and will then have the ride on the Breeders' Cup Turf favourite Azamour to look forward to on Saturday week.

One horse that Azamour won't have to contend with, however, is Powerscourt whose racing career has ended and who will start a stallion career at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

Justified slashed for Cheltenham's Arkle

Justified was slashed for next year's Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival after a facile success in the Listed novice chase at Punchestown yesterday.

Eamonn Sheehy's charge was sent off the 11 to 10 favourite for his fencing bow after a successful novice hurdling campaign last season, and he impressed as he came home nine lengths clear of Doctor Linton.

"The pressure is off now," Sheehy said. "I was delighted with his jumping and the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown would be his main target in the first part of the season.

"But he will run somewhere between now and then. He went to Con Power (ex-showjumper) for 10 days and he has done a marvellous job with his jumping.

"He doesn't always need it soft as Shay Barry said the chase track today is quick."

Coral and William Hill go 12 to 1 about his chances for the Arkle from 16s, while Cashmans were more impressed and make Justified 6 to 1 joint-favourite for the Festival event along with Accordion Etoile.

Rooftop Protest sprung a minor surprise when seeing off odds-on favourite Rocket Ship in the Diffusion Event Management Hurdle.

The race lost much of its lustre when Wild Passion was a late withdrawal because of the ground conditions.