By Frank Keogh at Cheltenham

Trainer Tom Taaffe is eyeing a Cheltenham Gold Cup hat-trick with new champion Kicking King.

KICKING KING TEAM PROFILE: Kicking King's age: 7 Jockey: Barry Geraghty Trainer: Tom Taaffe, Straffan, Kildare, Ireland Owner: Broker Conor Clarkson Kicking King joins Desert Orchid and Best Mate as the only horses since Arkle to do the King George/Gold Cup double in the same season

Taaffe's late father, Pat, rode the legendary Arkle to a Gold Cup treble in the 1960s, and Tom hopes he can repeat the feat.

After a cosy five-length success over Take The Stand at Cheltenham on Friday, Taaffe said: "It was an electric performance.

"The world is his oyster at the moment. He has the chance of winning one or two more Gold Cups," said the County Kildare trainer.

Bookmakers William Hill make him a 12-1 chance to do the treble and, when pressed, spokesman David Hood said they would only offer 20-1 on a four-timer.

At the age of seven, Kicking King is at a similar stage in his career to Best Mate when he won the first of his three titles in 2002.

Best Mate missed out on his bid for a historic fourth title after bursting a blood vessel on the gallops eight days before the big race.

But Kicking King jockey Barry Geraghty, who also won the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Moscow Flyer, had little doubt about who would have won if the showdown had taken place.

"He'd have beaten Best Mate. He's only seven and he's going to be a serious horse next year. Please God, he can come back and do it all again," said Geraghty.

I hope Best Mate is back next year. It would be a honour to take him on Conor Clarkson

Kicking King, who was an impressive winner of the King George VI Chase at Kempton in December, also nearly missed the race after suffering an illness less than three weeks beforehand.

When owner Conor Clarkson heard the news while driving in Spain, he pulled over to the side of the road and cried.

But after Kicking King's win, he could have been forgiven for crying tears of joy at his horse's remarkable powers of recovery.

Jockey Barry Geraghty (centre) and owner Conor Clarkson (right) celebrate with Kicking King

"I feel sorry for Best Mate's team that he wasn't able to run. He is a great champion and it would have been a privilege to run against him," said Clarkson.

"I hope he is back next year. It would be a honour to take him on."

The victory capped a momentous week for the Irish, who also won the Champion Hurdle with Hardy Eustace, for a clean sweep of the three most prized Cheltenham races.

And former top jockey Charlie Swan, who rode Istabraq to a Champion Hurdle treble, believes Kicking King even has the potential to beat Arkle's Gold Cup heroics.

"This was a great performance and, yes, I have to say this is a horse that could go beyond Arkle's three wins," said Swan.

"As a seven year-old, he could obviously come back and win three more times.

"That's a lot to say but then he has a good trainer in Tom Taaffe and looking at him today (Friday), he seemed to have all the ability in the world."