Thomas Taaffe – 2008 Grand National TrainerCHELTENHAM, UNITED KINGDOM: Jockey Barry Geraghty kisses his horse Kicking King in the winners enclosure after winning the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup steeple chase race at the Cheltenham Festival 18 March 2005. The Irish horse was race favorite beating Take The Stand into second and Sir Rembrandt finished third. AFP PHOTO ADRIAN DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Thomas Taaffe started his National Hunt racing career as a jockey in Ireland. His career as a jockey was highly successful with wins at several of Ireland’s premier hunt races including a win at the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Brittany Boy.

When Thomas Taaffe concluded his career as a jockey he immediately turned his hand to training, and acquired his training license in 1994. From there on Taaffe made slow but solid progress in National Hunt racing and achieved his first big win in 1998 at the 1998 Power Gold Cup at Fairyhouse with Delphi Lodge.

As his career progressed Thomas Taaffe, 2008 Grand National trainer, earned respect as a trainer with patience and vision who ran his horses only when he felt they suited course and conditions, and avoided burning out the horses entrusted to him at all costs. This approach paid dividends with several champion Irish racehorses emerging from his stables over the years.

Kicking King is one of the most notable racehorses to emerge from Thomas Taaffe’s stables. Taaffe recognised the horse’s champion qualities from the start, and trained him diligently to perform at the top level of National Hunt competition.

In 2004/2005 Taaffe marked his place as one of the top trainers in the United Kingdom when Kicking King took home a King George VI Chase title, followed by one of the greatest prizes in horseracing, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Incredibly Kicking King then returned home to give his trainer a third major title for the year with a victory in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Kicking Kings career ended in 2006 with a second King George VI victory, which resulted in a serious injury. Kicking King’s retirement left Thomas Taaffe searching for his next champion horse. At present, despite Thomas Taaffe’s sensational 15% win record in National Hunt racing he has not yet landed two of the biggest prizes in horseracing – the Irish Grand National and the Grand National at Aintree.

Taaffe will have a shot at Grand National glory in 2008 when his recent acquisition Slim Pickings has his second shot at the Grand National title. Although Slim Pickings produced an unremarkable performance at his first Grand National in 2007, chances are that a year of careful training by Thomas Taaffe, 2008 Grand National trainer, may be just what the horse and his trainer requires to land the 2008 Grand National.