Following the shock 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 7/2 double, at Cork today.
Speaking after In The High Grass had won, a clearly disappointed Taaffe mentioned 'Kicking King's tendon injury is minute but legs' are legs' and, although he seems to have good healing power, I wont be rushing him back.'
He added 'it's hard to say but the injury probably happened at Sandown where there was four different types of ground.'
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 reported 'this is a tough horse.
'He probably wants further but I thought hed win; however the ground is very bad and he did it well in the end.'
Glenfinn Captain, meanwhile, maintained his unbeaten run in the McCarthy Insurance Group Hurdle, gaining his third win in workmanlike fashion when beating Thyne Again by a neck.
Taaffe stated '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.'
The Ballyclough Maiden Hurdle went to John Kiely's well backed Ceeawayhome who raced prominently before scoring an easy 11l 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.
Murphy later commented '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.'
Cork based trainer Mary Hallahan recorded her second winner when Heartansoul ran out a 20/1 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 OBrien who mentioned 'Heartansoul was working well at home but she has had problems and is always in season; shell 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.
