See More Business produced a performance worthy of the great champions when winning the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park yesterday for a second time.

In scenes reminiscent of the postponed Martell Grand National in 1997, race-goers were requested to leave the track immediately after the running of the feature following a bomb scare. But the hoax did little to dampen the enthusiasm of See More Business' delighted connections.

Paul Nicholls' charge, winner of the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, had previously captured the Grade One prize in 1997. And he is now Ladbrokes' 3 to 1 favourite to repeat his Gold Cup success and join steeple-chasing's most exalted names.

The 5 to 2 favourite was always travelling supremely well under Mick Fitzgerald and was still on the bit when taking the lead on the turn for home.

The nine-year-old passed the post 17 lengths clear of Go Ballistic, who had filled the same position in the Gold Cup, with Dr Leunt a further 19 lengths adrift in third.

Nicholls said on greeting the winner: "The blinkers have transformed him. Mick (Fitzgerald) and him get on brilliantly. Mick's ridden him three times with the blinkers on and the blinkers have made a transformation to his jumping. He hasn't made a mistake since having the blinkers on."

"The thing with the horse is he has always had so much ability he got lazy.

"You would place him in his races and he just wasn't trying very hard, he just lost concentration. He hasn't had the blinkers on once since he ran at Wetherby and I promise he hasn't jumped one fence since Wetherby.

"At home he is just brilliant. Mick said 'don't school him he knows what he is doing' and there hasn't really been any need to. He's run better than ever he did last year, I don't know why he's improved.

"He's worked with Flagship Uberalles for the past fortnight because Flagship's the only one who can really make him work hard. I don't know why he's improved this year - he just has."

Nicholls will discuss See More Business' options with owners John Keighley and Paul Barber before deciding on whether he requires a Gold Cup prep race.

Fitzgerald believed it was time that See More Business received the credit he deserved. "It's all very well me taking the plaudits but the horse deserves the credit," he said. "He's jumped like a stag today and full credit to the trainer.

"People keep knocking the form but you can't knock the Gold Cup winner. The best horse won the race and he proved that today.

"The race went super. Andrew Thornton was kicking on all the way on Dr Leunt and I said to him `Andrew, take a pull. We've got to get a blow, we've gone very quick and they're beat behind us."'

Trainer Alan King was delighted with the performances of runner-up Go Ballistic and fourth-place Mulligan. King said: "We would have liked it a bit better for Go Ballistic, but it was no disgrace to be beaten by a Gold Cup winner. I was very pleased."

King confirmed that Go Ballistic would attempt to reverse form with See More Business in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup in March. He added: "He'll have one run before Cheltenham, either the Pillar, or the new race at Newbury (the Aon Group Chase on February 12th)."

Noel Chance was inclined to blame the ground for the disappointing performance of the strongly-fancied Looks Like Trouble, who was pulled up by Norman Williamson entering the back straight for the final time.

Chance said: "The only explanation I can give is that the ground is so bad he just didn't want to know."

Dorans Pride proved a bitter disappointment as well. He was always in the rear and was pulled up by Paul Hourigan.

Gloria Victis threw down a challenge to the leading staying novice chasers on both sides of the Irish Sea when landing an impressive victory in the Pertemps Partnership Feltham Novices' Chase. The favourite dominated the final circuit of the three-mile Grade One contest under a shrewd ride from Tony McCoy and is now 5 to 1 favourite with Corals for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Afrostar gave trainer Michael Hourigan some consolation when landing the opening Pertemps Marketing Services Novices' Hurdle.