Racing: Kicking King has been ruled out of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and will not run again this season after suffering a strain in an upper tendon.
Trainer Tom Taaffe believes the eight-year-old picked up the injury when landing back-to-back wins in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Sandown on St Stephen’s Day.
"He has strained his tendon and on veterinary advice, myself and his owner Conor Clarkson have decided the horse will not run in the Gold Cup," said Taaffe.
"I am not certain but I think it happened in Sandown when he won the King George. Nothing showed up for two days, but we were watching him and thought he had just banged his leg until we got it assessed.
"He has been scanned intensively by my vet Jimmy Kelly in Naas and the strain is in the upper third of his tendon, which is good news.
"If it was at the bottom it can be difficult to get them back, but they can often recover well from upper strains. I would hope to give him walking exercise, but he will definitely not be back this season.
"His target is now the 2007 Gold Cup. He has had good healing powers in the past and I would hope he has a similar response to this.
"I'd like to think we would have him back on the track next Christmas with a view of then going to Cheltenham."
After disappointing at Haydock in the Betfair Chase, Taaffe's charge returned to winning ways to beat Monkerhostin by a neck and land back-to-back wins in the mid-season championship.
Kicking King had been the 7-4 favourite with both William Hill and Ladbrokes to take his second Gold Cup. He had been ruled out of last year's blue riband at one stage after scoping dirty.
Beef Or Salmon is the new 5-1 favourite with Coral for the blue riband having been cut from 10-1.
His trainer Michael Hourigan said: "I have just heard about it, but that is the thing with horses - you just don't know."
Beef Or Salmon was cut in the Cheltenham ante-post lists last week following his third Lexus Chase win at Leopardstown, and is now being prepared to return on the Dublin track on February 12th.
"He has come back from from Leopardstown in good order and I'll get him ready for the Hennessy now," Hourigan added.
"He might be a shade better on softer ground, but I really don't think it matters to him."
Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, Coral bet: 5-1 Beef Or Salmon, 11-2 Kingscliff, 9-1 Monkerhostin, 12-1 Ollie Magern, War Of Attrition, 14-1 One Knight, 16-1 Take The Stand, L'Ami, 20-1 Celestial Gold, Cornish Rebel, Iris's Gift, Joacci, Royal Auclair, 25-1 bar.