Geraghty's praise for King

Drumree jockey Barry Geraghty last week paid tribute to the retiring Kicking King, the horse on which he won the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup. The retirement of the winner of the Gold Cup and two King George VI chases was announced last Thursday. One of the best chasers of his generation, the 10-year-old contested 14 Grade 1s and was successful six times. He won 12 of his 28 starts and accumulated £818,032 in prizemoney. Geraghty was the only jockey to ride Kicking King over both hurdles and fences, and said that he and Moscow Flyer were the best that he has ridden. 'Winning his first King George was special. Your first of anything is great, I suppose,' Geraghty said. 'He came along at a very important time for me. All jockeys need good horses, and he was just a brilliant ride and hardly ever put a foot wrong.' It was a famous King George in which a man dressed in a Santa Claus outfit ran out on the course and narrowly avoided being mowed down by the horse. 'We had to avoid Santa Claus on the run-in after the last. But that just proved what a clever horse he was. He got himself back racing again and the result was never in doubt.' The Drumree pilot said that the Gold Cup in 2005 was an armchair ride. 'He was bombproof that day.' But he had to work harder on him the following Christmas to win the second King George. Trained by Tom Taaffe and owned by Conor Clarkson, the horse finished second to Michael O"Leary"s War of Attrition on his final start at Punchestown last month, and ran five times without winning this year after a two-year absence. Barry Geraghty continued his success across the water at the weekend when he rode Chomba Womba to victory for his new UK boss Nicky Henderson in the Coral Ascot Hurdle on Saturday. The 2-1 joint favourite finished a length ahead of co-favourite Crack Away Jack, and has won five of her six starts since joining Henderson. On Friday at Ascot, the Geraghty-Henderson combination took the National Hunt Novices Hurdle on 2/5 favourite Mad Max. On the domestic scene, Geraghty was in Thurles on Thursday, where he brought 11-10 favourite Alpine Eagle home for Jessica Harrington in the Cahir Maiden Hurdle. Nina Carberry also rode a winner at Thurles, Noel Meade"s 7/1 shot Steve Capall in the Liscahill Flat Race. In Dundalk on Friday, Johnny Murtagh and Kilkenny based trainer Eoin Griffin won the Fitzwilliam Business Centre Race with 4/1 priced Finicius. It was the second leg of a Dundalk double for the Bohermeen jockey, winner of the opening Fianna Fail Benefit Night Race on Mick Halford"s Soap Wars. Noel Meade"s Harchibald, which won the race in 2004 and last year, could be joined by Gordon Elliot"s Harper Valley in Saturday"s Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. Sublimity will be running with new trainer Robbie Hennessy. Meanwhile, Philip Carberry had more success on the continent recently when he partnered Pearse to vistory for a group of Irish owners in the Listed Prix Marc Antony. Trained by Francois Cottin, the 14/1 shot passed the post a comfortable six lengths ahead of the runner-up. The Ward Union Point to Point races, originally planned for to take place in October, has been rescheduled to Sunday, 7th December, weather permitting, with six races on the initial card, starting at 12 noon at Tattersalls. The following Sunday, 14th December, will see the running of the annual Dunsany Cross Country Chase, now in its 17th year.