Richards puzzled by poor display

One man's capitulation in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton remained a mystery yesterday

One man's capitulation in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton remained a mystery yesterday. The grey, bidding for a hat-trick in the St Stephen's feature, weakened markedly from the second-last fence to finish a well-beaten fifth behind See More Business.

"There is not a sign of anything wrong with him," trainer Gordon Richards said yesterday. "He has come home and he's sound. He hasn't told me there is anything wrong with him with a cough or a dirty noise.

"Perhaps he might do in a day or two but it could have been the ground. I don't think he broke a blood vessel as I have scoped him. It could just be one of those things."

Meanwhile, See More Business is set to reappear in the Pillar Property Investment Chase at Cheltenham next month. The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding landed the Kempton showpiece in the hands of Andrew Thornton but will be reunited with regular pilot Timmy Murphy, who missed the ride due to suspension, at Cheltenham.

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"We have got to train the horse with the Cheltenham Gold Cup very much in mind now as if the ground was on the easy side he would have to be a major player," said Nicholls.

See More Business is now 12 to 1 fourth favourite for steeplechasing's blue riband in a market headed by Dorans Pride, who beat him twice last season.

Nicholls is adamant See More Business has improved this term and said: "Obviously Dorans Pride, who beat us last year, is a very decent horse but we were basically only in our novice stage."

The Somerset trainer also had news of Belmont King, who was pulled up in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on Saturday.

"He has got a dirty nose this morning and didn't eat up last night which is very unlike him but that's one of those things you are up against at this time of season with all the bugs around," said Nicholls.