RACING/Gowran report and round-up:The 20 to 1 shot Priests Leap might have landed the Ellen Construction Thyestes Chase, and the long odds-on Nickname won the main support event, but there was no contest for the biggest reception at Gowran yesterday after Kicking King's dramatic return to action.
The 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero was having his first start for 759 days over an inadequate two-mile trip in the Normans Grove Chase, but it appeared like Kicking King had never been away as he harried Nickname all the way to the line.
Indeed, only for a bad mistake at the second-last, Kicking King could well have made the perfect comeback. But bookmakers still saw enough to slash him to 16 to 1 for March's Gold Cup.
More importantly, both Tom Taaffe and Barry Geraghty saw enough to encourage hopes that the 10-year-old might just be as good as ever.
"Barry said he wasn't as good as he was two years ago - he was as good as he was three years ago!" Taaffe grinned.
The jockey didn't appear overly disappointed at having just lost out and was prepared to look long-term: "We lost the battle but we might win the war."
Thinking long-term with a chaser who has had leg problems is a famously dangerous pastime, but Taaffe remains confident those fears can be put to bed in a couple of days, and a return to Gowran next month for the Red Mills Chase will be the next step in a plan the leads to Cheltenham on March 15th.
"There's the Hennessy in 17 days time, but that might be a bit tight, whereas the Red Mills gives us 23 days, and we'll get the same allowances as today," Taaffe said. "But what I don't want to do is bottom him on heavy ground over three miles before Cheltenham. Everything is geared to the Gold Cup."
With doubts about Exotic Dancer now taking part in the blue riband, Kicking King could end up being the main threat to the Paul Nicholls pair, Kauto Star and Denman, and the latter may face an unexpected threat when he returns to Leopardstown for the Hennessy.
Nickname might almost have been forgotten yesterday, but trainer Martin Brassil reported: "He might be better over further now and we will have a look at the Hennessy for Nickname next."
Nickname was the middle-leg of a sparkling treble for Ruby Walsh, who carried some overweight in the handicap hurdle but still got Splurge home in front, and then had an armchair distance win in the novice chase aboard J'y Vole.
Willie Mullins will look at the Dr PJ Moriarty Chase for his ex-French star next, but for West Cork trainer Tom O'Leary yesterday was very much the day as Priests Leap sprang a shock in the €100,000 Thyestes.
The former trainer of Newmill, a close third to Nickname and Kicking King yesterday, has known Grade One success, but O'Leary understandably relished this victory. "The Thyestes is one of the most prestigious races in Ireland so I'm thrilled, and I thought Philip (Enright) gave him the most amazing ride," he said.
"What this horse loves is barely raceable ground, but we wouldn't be here at all if it wasn't for Niamh Smith in Carrigaline who has helped this horse's jumping so much in the last 10 days."
That proved to be the case when it mattered, too, as Enright powered Priests Leap clear of Black Apalachi with favourite Newbay Prop back in third.
Favourite backers also lost out in the Grade 3 Galmoy Hurdle when the "wrong one" of the Michael Bowe pair, the 14-1 shot Earth Magic, beat his half sister Sweet Kiln by two and a half lengths.
