Well the obvious question is would he have beaten Best Mate? And for me the definite answer is yes.

Kicking King was a brilliant winner of the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup today. Some will point to the proximity of Take The Stand in second to decry it as a sub-standard renewal. Again I disagree. The ease with which Tom Taaffe's star beat Celestial Gold and Strong Flow, neither of whom had any obvious excuses, mark this out as a good performance.

It was a wonderul win for the trainer, a genuine nice man. He is very approachable and refreshingly honest, even during the period when it seemed as though his star would have to miss the race.

There are those, and some have approached me this week, who suggest that was always a con, that Kicking King was never off course. They are wrong.

Those looking for a scandal should search elsewhere, Betfair know the identities of all those who picked up prices all the way to 999/1 before Kicking King was confirmed a runner again. None had any link to the Taaffe yard.

But there were doubts in the Kicking King camp last week. I was at a preview evening with Barry Gerraghty who off-the-record feared they were mad to be going for the Gold Cup if the horse wasn't 100 per cent. He needen't have woried, Kicking King was the real deal.

For me the four days have taught me two things, one that you can beat the bookmakers and the second, the layers always win.

I held a host of ante-post vouchers at big prices about fancied runners this week. All started much shorter on the day. All lost.

Finally I will leave the last word to the course PA. After the second race racegoers were asked to take off their coats in the warm weather on medical advice.

Some followed. But surely the medical advice at the start of the week was to keep your money in your pocket and stay away from the bars. From where I was very few seemed to heed the instruction.

	Will Hayler Archive
	MARCH 18: KING SIMPLY THE BEST
	MARCH 17: NO STOPPING WYLIE OPERATOR
	MARCH 16: MOSCOW SCALES HEIGHTS
	MARCH 15: CARBERRY CLAN STILL WINNERS
	MARCH 14: ABSENT FRIENDS CAUSE CARNAGE