Kicking King

Kicking King is a National Hunt racehorse trained in Ardclough, Co.Kildare, Ireland, by Tom Taaffe. He is best known for his victory in the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup, the major Chase run at the Cheltenham Festival. He also won the King George VI Chase in 2004 and 2005; once at Kempton and once at Sandown Park, when the race was relocated due to the development of an all-weather track at Kempton. He was second twice in previous Cheltenham Festivals, in the 2003 Supreme Novices' Hurdle and in the 2004 Arkle Challenge Trophy.

After suffering a tendon injury in the 2005 King George VI Chase he was withdrawn from competition for the rest of the hunt season. He was due to make a comeback in the 2006-07 season but on further inspection of his injury it was decided to keep the horse off the track for the rest of the season. However he has since returned in 2008, but was unable to run in that year's Cheltenham Gold Cup as originally planned.

Since his successful debut in a National Hunt flat race, Kicking King has amassed more than £800,000 in prize money and has six Grade One wins to his name.