Kicking King
Encyclopedia
Kicking King is a National Hunt
racehorse trained in Ardclough, Co. Kildare
, Ireland
, by Tom Taaffe
. He is best known for his victory in the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup
, the major Chase run at the Cheltenham Festival
. He also won the King George VI Chase
in 2004 and 2005; once at Kempton
and once at Sandown Park, when the race was relocated due to the development of an all-weather track at Kempton. His Boxing Day win on Sunday 26th December was a first; when See More Business won the race in 1999, Christmas Sunday was still observed so that year the race was first-scheduled for the Monday. Thus he was the first horse to win twice on non-weekdays. He was second twice in previous Cheltenham Festivals, in the 2003 Supreme Novices' Hurdle
and in the 2004 Arkle Challenge Trophy.
After suffering a tendon injury in the 2005 King George VI Chase
he was withdrawn from competition for the rest of the hunt season. He was due to make a comeback in the 2006-07 season but on further inspection of his injury it was decided to keep the horse off the track for the rest of the season. However he returned in January 2008, finishing a close second to Nickname in the Normans Grove Chase. He was subsequently sent off favourite for the Red Mills Chase in February, but disappointed when finishing third. Kicking King's comeback season ended on a bad note, as he went on to contest the Punchestown Gold Cup, but was pulled up.
He reappeared for the 2008/09 season in the Grade 2 Gowran Park Champion Chase, but was a faller in the race eventually won by Knight Legend. He made another appearance in a chase at Punchestown, where he was 2nd of 4 runners behind War Of Attrition, which proved to be his last race, as he was retired in November 2008.
Since his successful debut in a National Hunt flat race
, Kicking King has amassed more than £800,000 in prize money and has six Grade One wins to his name.
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
racehorse trained in Ardclough, Co. Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, by Tom Taaffe
Tom Taaffe
Tom Taaffe is an Irish horse trainer based at Portree Stables, Boston, Straffan, in County Kildare.He began training in 94/95 jumps season, having had a successful career as a professional jump jockey for the Arthur Moore stable....
. He is best known for his victory in the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
, the major Chase run at the Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...
. He also won the King George VI Chase
King George VI Chase
The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped...
in 2004 and 2005; once at Kempton
Kempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, which is a western suburb of London 16 miles from the city centre. The site is set in of land....
and once at Sandown Park, when the race was relocated due to the development of an all-weather track at Kempton. His Boxing Day win on Sunday 26th December was a first; when See More Business won the race in 1999, Christmas Sunday was still observed so that year the race was first-scheduled for the Monday. Thus he was the first horse to win twice on non-weekdays. He was second twice in previous Cheltenham Festivals, in the 2003 Supreme Novices' Hurdle
Supreme Novices' Hurdle
The Supreme Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 110 yards , and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped...
and in the 2004 Arkle Challenge Trophy.
After suffering a tendon injury in the 2005 King George VI Chase
King George VI Chase
The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped...
he was withdrawn from competition for the rest of the hunt season. He was due to make a comeback in the 2006-07 season but on further inspection of his injury it was decided to keep the horse off the track for the rest of the season. However he returned in January 2008, finishing a close second to Nickname in the Normans Grove Chase. He was subsequently sent off favourite for the Red Mills Chase in February, but disappointed when finishing third. Kicking King's comeback season ended on a bad note, as he went on to contest the Punchestown Gold Cup, but was pulled up.
He reappeared for the 2008/09 season in the Grade 2 Gowran Park Champion Chase, but was a faller in the race eventually won by Knight Legend. He made another appearance in a chase at Punchestown, where he was 2nd of 4 runners behind War Of Attrition, which proved to be his last race, as he was retired in November 2008.
Since his successful debut in a National Hunt flat race
National Hunt flat race
National Hunt Flat races, informally known as Bumper races, are flat races run under National Hunt racing rules in Britain and Ireland....
, Kicking King has amassed more than £800,000 in prize money and has six Grade One wins to his name.