British challenge on the horizon for Il Est Francais
Noel George eyeing UK trip for high-class French performer.
The exciting Ile Est Francais is set to be campaigned in Britain later in the year following a dominant success on his chasing debut at Auteuil. The five-year-old was a Grade One winner over hurdles at the Parisian track last year for Tom George and is now trained in partnership by his son Noel and Amanda Zetterholm. He returned from a summer break for his first start over fences on Tuesday and could hardly have been more impressive in the hands of James Reveley. “Auteuil is not easy to jump round for your first time and he jumped round like he’d been round there a hundred times. He was very impressive,” said Noel George. “We’ve been waiting to run him over fences for a while and now we’ve been able to do it, he impressed us as much as we thought he would. Hopefully he’s got a big career over fences ahead of him.” Ile Est Francais is set for one more run at Auteuil this autumn before potentially being readied for major meetings on UK soil.George added: “We have to discuss it with the owners, but I think he’ll probably run at the beginning of November at Auteuil – there’s a Listed race for a five-year-old chasers, which I’d like to think would be a penalty kick for him. “After that we’ll maybe consider the Coral Gold Cup meeting at Newbury or Kempton at Christmas. He’ll be travelling over to the UK this year, that’s for certain, but when and where that will be, I can’t say for certain yet. “Newbury would be a nice place for him to start for his first run in England as it’s flat with a nice, long straight. “I think we’ll probably start him over two and a half miles because he runs over two and a half a lot over here and we can then make a decision on whether he needs to go up or down in trip. “He’s very versatile and for me, with his speed and jumping, he could easily be a two-miler in England, but we’re dreaming of winning a French Gold Cup with him one day and that is over three and a half miles, so we don’t want him going the wrong way.”
Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.
Latest
-
Turner follows up landmark success with Mount Atlas triumph
Trailblazing jockey wastes no time in adding to Thursday night’s 1,000th British winner.
-
Shepherd looking to guide King’s Gambit to York Stakes glory
In-form jockey eyeing another big-race success on progressive colt.
-
Auguste Rodin now ready to exorcise King George demons
Aidan O’Brien: ‘Last year, it was soft ground and we probably held him up too much.’
-
Live In The Dream given Goodwood Hart transplant
Adam West has opted for a change of jockey on his star sprinter.
-
Ed Crisford plans Deauville return for star sprinter Vandeek
He has finished third on both starts this season after an unbeaten juvenile campaign.
-
Chancellor looking to profit in Pat Eddery Stakes
The John and Thady Gosden colt impressed when winning on debut at Doncaster.
-
Boughey backing Soprano to be on song in Valiant Stakes
‘I couldn’t be much happier with how she has trained heading into this race.’
-
Opera Singer and Emily Upjohn on course for Nassau clash
Inspiral also among 12 Goodwood confirmations but she may be rerouted to France.
-
Sangster hopes Simmering can heat up once again at Ascot
Promising filly bids to open her account in the Princess Margaret Stakes.