Kicking King retires from racing

Owner Conor Clarkson said the horse could look forward to retirement

Top Irish chaser Kicking King, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2005, has been retired at the age of 10.

Despite making a promising comeback he never fully recovered after being ruled out for 759 days with a tendon injury.

In his next four starts he failed to show his old zest, and so the decision was made to retire the double King George VI Chase winner.

"It's not really a sad day, he was a wonderful chaser to have had," said owner Conor Clarkson.

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"Looking back over his racing career you realise what an amazing racehorse he was. I suppose it's a little bit sad his racing career is over, but he can now look forward to a happy retirement."

Kicking King won 12 of his 28 races including a four-length victory at Leopardstown on his debut.

"We always felt he was a very good horse as a youngster, prior to racing, but the performance in his bumper at Leopardstown showed us he was well above average," Clarkson told At The Races.

"A few people told us after that race that he looked like a potential superstar and thankfully he grew into that.

"I suppose you have to say that the Cheltenham Gold Cup has to be the highlight because it is the blue riband of chasing, but I have so many great memories.

"In our view he just wasn't up to competing in Grade Ones anymore and we took the decision to retire him."

Trainer Tom Taaffe was also full of praise for the horse.

"I think he was a great ambassador for racing and for ourselves. It's great he's retired in one piece and that he's going to enjoy some ridden show classes next summer," he said.