A twisted shoe could have been to blame for First Gold`s disappointing run at Auteuil on Sunday, it emerged today.
Francois Doumen`s King George VI Chase winner faded dramatically into fifth place behind Kotkijet on the run-in of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris (French Gold Cup).
'We have a little problem with him but nothing to condemn his future,' Doumen said this morning.
'He lost a shoe, probably at the last because it was free but still attached so it couldn`t have happened earlier.
'He made a slight fault at the last and it was really after the last he stopped. He was a sure second and suddenly he stopped.
'His future is fine - I`m not worried about his future.'
First Gold will be rested before being prepared for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.
'I`ve told him he`s on holiday now until the autumn season,' Doumen said. 'His target is
Cheltenham and if everything goes to plan you`ll see him in the King George before.'
Doumen`s globetrotting Jim And Tonic - runner-up in the Singapore Airlines International Cup earlier this month - is also enjoying some time off before going on his travels again.
'Jim And Tonic is having a good break as well,' added the Chantilly trainer. 'I want to get him fresh for the autumn season. He`ll probably have a comeback race the weekend of the Arc and then he`ll take his ticket.'
