WITH the Cheltenham Festival now 31 days away, the Sun Racing team will be bringing you their 'Festival 50' every day between now and 10 March.

We will salute the Prestbury Park heroes that made us fall in love with the Festival, all the way until the 'Cheltenham roar' signals that the wait is finally over.

Number 31: Kicking King

Many would argue that Kicking King was one of the finest Gold Cup winners in recent history.

And it would be very difficult to disagree.

The Tom Taaffe-trained star had showed a liking for Prestbury Park with runner-up finishes in both the Supreme and Arkle.

But he returned as a seven-year-old for the Gold Cup, with a King George win under his belt, as the well-punted 4-1 favouirte.

It hadn't been plain-sailing for connections in the lead-up to the race, with the horse 'ruled out' of the Festival with a bad scope in late February.

However, he came right just days before the big one, and connections decided to take their chance.

And he was imperious under a brilliant Barry Geraghty.

He hunted round for the first circuit and began to pick rivals off one by one, with Geraghty having to dab the brakes on several times (the horse was keen from start to finish).

He was produced to lead with a big jump three out and, though Take The Stand eye-balled him in the home straight, he stretched right away up the hill to win emphatically.

Geraghty, who earlier the week won on Moscow Flyer, said: "I think I can safely say that I am fortunate enough to be riding the two best chasers in racing. He is some tool."

But it was perhaps Taaffe who summed it up best.

He said: "There was never an anxious moment for me through the race; in fact, he has really pissed up."

Amen to that!

The list so far…

50-41: All can be found here

40. Un De Sceaux

39. Sizing Europe

38. Imperial Commander

37. Witchita Lineman

36. Big Zeb

35. Brave Inca

34. Viking Flagship

33. Don Cossack

32. Hors La Loi

31. Kicking King

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