Cheltenham festival hopeful Kicking King had little less than a schooling session when winning the two mile novice chase in front of a small attendance at Punchestown today.
Tom Taaffe's gelding started 2/7 favourite and had no difficulty defeating four rivals with a deliberate and bold jumping display. Taaffe later expressed his relief with the performance, following the gelding's fall at Leopardstown over
Christmas.
Taaffe added 'he appears to have more speed now than ever. He will go for the Irish Arkle followed by the Cheltenham version.' Kicking King was re-introduced at 14/1 by Cashmans for the Cheltenham Arkle.
Trainer Francis Flood saddled Walk Over to win the opening two mile maiden hurdle under his son and namesake, thus defeating 1/3 favourite Tiger Cry.
According to Flood Snr., 'Walk Over could not cope with the bottomless ground at Gowran on his latest start although he seemed as well then as he did today.'
23 year old Alan Fagan rode his fourth winner when Biras Creek caused a minor upset to win the four year old maiden hurdle for trainer John Fowler. Although the winner was absent since making an uninspired debut as a two year old, Fowler reported 'it wasn't a complete shock and I thought she'd be in the first four.'
Flat jockey Seamus Heffernan has developed into a useful hurdles rider since making a belated start to his national hunt career late last year. He partnered his second hurdle winner on Iggy Madden's Supergood in the 2m4f handicap hurdle with the winning trainer later quibbing 'we'll make a jump jockey out of him yet!'
Dermot Day's Panchovillas Gleam benefitted from a well judged Philip Carberry ride to win the two and a half mile handicap chase while Harithabad, under Gary Hutchinson, outbattled Pelican Brief in the closest finish of the day to win the 2m5f beginners' chase.
Amateur Derek O'Connor has enjoyed an excellent recent run and won the bumper on Pat Hughes' Watts Hill, confirming that the Co Galway rider has every chance in this season's Amateur Jockeys' Title.
