Henrietta's plans in tatters

14 April 2012

The king is dead, long live the kings. Well, not quite, but the news that Best Mate will not be gracing next week's Cheltenham Festival with his powerful presence leaves a hole in the meeting. It is a gap Kicking King and Kingscliff will find hard to fill.

Henrietta Knight, who along with husband Terry Biddlecombe has handled the gelding with such skill and patience over the last five years, made no attempt to disguise her dismay at seeing her champion shuffle home from the gallops with blood pouring from his nose this morning.

"It's shattering for everyone here," she said. "I suppose it's better that it happened on the gallops as opposed to in the race at Cheltenham, but even so it is a huge blow."

Broken blood vessels are often induced when a horse comes under stress at exercise or when racing, and Knight is adamant that today's problem germinated when he picked up a virus during a fruitless trip to Leopardstown in December.

She said: "Whenever a horse breaks a blood vessel it's serious, but it isn't career threatening and hopefully he will come back as good as new next season. He picked up a virus while he was in Ireland and I think it is all linked."

Aston Villa fanatic Jim Lewis, who has ridden a magic carpet seeing Best Mate carry his claret and blue colours at Cheltenham, was understandably dejected but put a brave face on the setback.

"Whatever happens he'll always be a triple champion and we haven't given up hope of him winning another Gold Cup," he said. "His groom Jackie Jenner wasn't happy with him in the middle of his work at about 9.30, so she pulled him to a halt and now the dream has come to a temporary end.

"It's disappointing, but what can one do? In many ways Hen, Terry and his rider Jim Culloty are just relieved he will be well again in the long term and, although he won't race again this season, it could be that we will bring him back earlier than normal next season."

Lewis still plans to attend next week's Festival and had words of advice for whoever takes his place in the winner's enclosure. He said: "I'll be envying whoever wins the Gold Cup, but I'd also advise them to savour every moment because they are very rare and very special."

In another strange twist to an increasingly volatile Gold Cup picture, Irish trainer Tom Taaffe confirmed today his impressive King George winner Kicking King is back on course for Cheltenham despite having been ruled out of the race over a week ago.

Owner Conor Clarkson had said that "there's no way we are going to make it" when the gelding went down with an infection nine days ago. However, connections have had a dramatic change of heart, leaving Ladbrokes and Totesport to make the exciting seven-year-old as short as 6-1 in their revised market.

Taaffe said: "Kicking King has surprised us in all aspects with his wellbeing since 6 March and seems to have put his problems behind him."

Latest Totesport Gold Cup betting (sponsors' odds): 7-2 Kingscliff, 9-2 Strong Flow, 5-1 Beef Or Salmon, 6 Kicking King, Celestial Gold, 7 Rule Supreme, 8-1 Grey Abbey, 16 bar

The highs and lows for Festival champion

March 2000: unlucky defeat in Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham
March 2002: wins first Cheltenham Gold Cup
March 2003: wins second Cheltenham Gold Cup
March 2004: wins third Cheltenham Gold Cup
Nov 2004: unconvincing win on his seasonal debut
Dec 2004: shock defeat at Leopardstown
Feb 2005: stable under a cloud

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