First Gold gave trained Francois Doumen a record equalling fifth success in the 50th running of the King George VI steeplechase at Kempton and then declared that this victory was the best of them all.

Doumen, the suave good-looking Frenchman, likes nothing better than coming across the English Channel and putting one over on the old enemy. This time he did it in very emphatic style.

First Gold, an imposing French-bred seven-year-old, never looked like not winning and when Thiery Doumen, the 21-year-old jockey son of the trainer, sent the horse to the front at the third last fence the issue was never in doubt and he ran clean away from the best that England and Ireland could muster.

Admittedly there was no Looks like Trouble who is out injured but there was the See More Business, the hot favourite and winner of the race for the past two years, Florida Pearl runner up in last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup and Edredon Bleu the reigning two mile champion chaser.

Edredon Bleu failed to stay, See More Business didn't run or jump with any enthusiasm in finishing fifth, and although Florida Pearl ran well in second place he was never going to get near the Frenchman once he quickened clear in the home straight. "This has to be the best of them all "said Doumen senior, "because my son rode the winner and that makes me very proud."

I also think that this horse is the best of all his five winners of the race and the bookmakers semmed to think so as well for they made him as low as 2 to 1 favourite to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March. The handicapper who is not well known for getting over excited also seemed impressed and although he didn't exactly say that afterwards, I would think he will rate First Gold as the best steeplechaser around when he publishes his new figures at the end of the week.

First Gold carries the famous red colours of the Marquise de Moratella who lives a very private life in the south west of Frame and she owns around 400 horses. She rarely gets to the track to watch her horses so it was left to her great friend Sir Peter Osullevan, for so many years the voice of British racing, to receive the trophy on her behalf.

Mick Fitzgerald who was very disappointed with the running of the hot favourite See More Business did finish the day with three winners starting with the newcomer Fondmort in the Novice Hurdle Bacchanal who carried the pink and grey colours of Lady Lloyd Webber to victor in the Feltham Novices Chase and on Dusk Duel on whom he performed miracles to somehow get him to go past his rivals in the Wayward Lad Novices Chase.

The temperature on Boxing Day just managed to get above freezing. With freezing weather forecast some of the top class racing lined up for this week could be in doubt. Let's hope it warms up in time for today and the scheduled reappearance of the Champion Hurdler Istabraq at Leopardstown.