Following the news of Kicking King's season-ending injury, two of Tom Taaffe's other horses did their bit to cheer up the Co Kildare trainer, with In The High Grass and Glenfinn Captain combining for a 7 to 2 double at Cork yesterday.

Both Taaffe's winners were ridden by Kicking King's jockey Barry Geraghty and referring to In The High Grass, winner of the Kanturk Maiden Hurdle, Taaffe said: "This is a tough horse. He probably wants further but I thought he'd win. However, the ground is very bad and he did it well in the end."

Glenfinn Captain maintained his unbeaten run in the McCarthy Insurance Group Hurdle, gaining his third win in workmanlike fashion when beating Thyne Again by a neck. "Glenfinn Captain had to make his own running in a slow run race and is better jumping at speed. He is a tough horse who will go for a novice hurdle next," said Taaffe.

The Ballyclough Maiden Hurdle went to John Kiely's well backed Ceeawayhome who raced prominently before scoring an easy 11-length success under in-form Davy Russell. Kiely later reported: "I always thought a lot of this horse but he has been plagued by splint injuries and his jumping left him down a few times."

The five-runner McCarthy Insurance Group Handicap Chase went to the Andrew McNamara-ridden Charging, who made it three wins from his last five starts for trainer John Murphy. "He made a mistake at the second fence the last day which ended his race but I fancied him today; he is probably better over this two mile trip," said the winning handler.

Cork-based trainer Mary Hallahan recorded her second winner when Heartansoul ran out a 20 to 1 surprise winner of the McCarthy Insurance Group Mares Handicap Hurdle. Ridden by good 7lb claimer Nikki O'Shea, Heartansoul chased the leaders before progressing to lead after the final flight where narrow leader Tapneiram made a mistake, helping Heartansoul to run out an eventual head winner.

Hallahan was absent but was represented by assistant Phillip O'Brien who said: "Heartansoul was working well at home but she has had problems and is always in season; she'll go for another handicap next."

Jack The Hough, under Mike Darcy, benefited from the final fence blunder of leader Some Timbering in the McCarthy Insurance Group Beginners Chase to win for Co Tipperary-based Philip Walsh.

Tom George found the ground and Idle Talk did the rest as the seven-year-old battled to a hard-fought victory in muddy conditions at Exeter.

Forced to miss planned appearances at Lingfield, where the meeting was abandoned due to frost, and then at Sandown, when the going was too quick in places, the 4 to 1 chance came into the novices' chase without a run for two months. And that rustiness may have showed in the closing stages as he had to be driven out to get the better of Reflected Glory by two and a half lengths.

Favourite Lough Derg, who failed to jump with any fluency after making an early error and slipping at the seventh fence, kept on to finish a length further away in third.

Walsh's return

Ruby Walsh is expected to return to action by the end of the week after suffering a crashing fall from Sporazene at Cheltenham on Sunday.

The 26-year-old was stood down for the remainder of the card after the nasty-looking incident, which was his second tumble of the day after he parted company with Le Duc in the third race.

"He is okay and hopes to be back by the end of the week, although I don't know where yet," said his sister and agent Jennifer.

"He is just a little sore today, which you would expect after two hard falls."