Kicking King beaten at Punchestown

Kicking King suffered a shock defeat on his seasonal debut in the Daily Star Chase at Punchestown this afternoon, although trainer Tom Taaffe was ?extremely happy? with the Gold Cup winner.

Last season?s top staying chaser was not ridden as aggressively as normal by Barry Geraghty but the 30/100 favourite still held every chance as he was in the air together with War Of Attrition and Pizarro at the second last.

War Of Attrition jumped to the front at this point as Pizarro lost ground jumping out to the right, and Conor O?Dwyer?s mount stayed on best to score by three lengths with Pizarro just a shorthead back in third.

?It?s obviously better if you can win but I?m extremely happy. I haven?t brought him away at all to work and he needed that race under his belt. With that in mind, he?s run a fantastic race? said Taaffe.

?I?m thrilled with the way he?s jumped and that should put him spot-on for the Betfair Gold Cup at Haydock next month. I?d sooner he got beaten today than at Haydock and it?s a long way to March,? he added.

Mouse Morris was understandably delighted with War Of Attrition but will resist taking on Kicking King again for the moment as he favours going to Down Royal next month.

?Everything got a bit rushed last season after his injury, and I don?t think he has enough experience to be going to Haydock. He was fairly burly in the ring before todays race and should improve.?

Morris added, ?He will probably go to Down Royal for either the Grade 3 two and a half miles chase or the James Nicholson Champion Chase.?

Geraghty fared better elsewhere on the card, initiating a double aboard the well-backed 2/1 favourite Queen Astrid (available at 7/2 in the morning) in the Listed Grabel Mares Hurdle.

The Dermot Weld-trained five-year-old took over as the front-running Sweet Kiln dropped away quickly after three out, and she was in control in the straight to beat Time On Your Side by three lengths.

?Her run in the Cesarewitch was very good, and she will go back to the Flat next time for the Leopardstown November Handicap providing there is a little cut in the ground,? said Weld.

He added, ?The way she jumps hurdles, she should make a lovely chaser. I may run her over fences at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting.?

Geraghty was also on the mark in the two and a half miles handicap hurdle where Purple Shuffle dug deep when strongly challenged by Merrylas in the straight to score by half a length.