Racing/Cheltenham Gold Cup: Kicking King put the perfect seal on Ireland's greatest ever Cheltenham festival when trouncing his Gold Cup opposition with an immaculate display of class at the famous old course yesterday.

On the final session of Cheltenham's first four-day festival, Fota Island's later success in the Grand Annual brought the Irish total for the week to a record nine winners.

But if the quantity was unprecedented, then so was the quality. The festival's three big prizes, the Champion Hurdle, the Champion Chase and Gold Cup all fell to Irish-trained horses and that has never been done before.

But the focus yesterday was all on Kicking King after Barry Geraghty's mount completed one of the most remarkable recoveries in modern racing history to win the great race by five lengths from Take The Stand with last year's runner-up Sir Rembrandt having to settle for third place a further eight lengths back.

Less than three weeks ago Kicking King had been ruled out of the Gold Cup when scoping badly after a less than impressive piece of work. But he returned to full health so quickly that just over a week later he was back in contention for jump racing's greatest prize.

"I honestly thought he wouldn't be here but this horse's ability to bounce back and cope with all the stress has got us here," said Kicking King's trainer Tom Taaffe. "You can do nothing without the horse and he told us he wanted to come here. And he is only seven. He has the scope to win another couple of these."

Taaffe sympathised with Best Mate's trainer Henrietta Knight in the aftermath of yesterdays's race but it was the greatest Gold Cup winner of them all that was really on his mind.

The Straffan-based trainer was too young to take in the significance of the mighty Arkle who won here three years running from 1964-'66. But the memory of that horse, and his father Pat who rode him, was very much at the front of his mind throughout yesterday.

"I feel sorry that Best Mate isn't here but the only thing I will say is that I am glad the Taaffe name is back on the Gold Cup again and I'm glad to be able to protect Arkle's record."

Geraghty had ridden a copybook race on the young star whose previous victory was in Britain's other great chase prize, the King George VI Chase at Kempton. Under strict instructions from Taaffe not to hit the front until the turn in, Geraghty bided his time as the pace-setter Grey Abbey faded and the 25 to 1 outsider Take The Stand ranged up on the outside. Briefly it looked like the 4 to 1 favourite might be in trouble but any doubts about Kicking King's stamina were dispelled as he powered up the final hill.

"To see my father, mother, girlfriend and everyone else in tears brings a tear to your own eye," said the Co Meath rider. "He was brilliant. It really was as easy as it looked." Geraghty added: "He's a machine, at three miles, or two furlong further. He's shown he is the best there is. He's only seven and he's going to be a serious horse next year. Over the last three fences he was brilliant and then dossed in front. He'd have beaten Best Mate today." The bookmakers were unanimous in making Kicking King the favourite over Best Mate for next year's Gold Cup with one firm making him as low as 11 to 4 to win again.

Ireland's other main hope going into the Gold Cup, Beef Or Salmon, was under pressure early in the race and was eventually pulled up in the finishing straight.