Il Est Francais building up nicely to Auteuil showpiece

Adam Morgan
March 10, 2024 3:19 pm

This time next year French superstar could be at Cheltenham.

French superstar Il Est Francais is thrilling connections as he steps up his workload ahead of his next outing.

Trained by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, the six-year-old is becoming a household name in his native France where he has built up a formidable reputation. But it was at Kempton Park on Boxing Day when producing an imperious display in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase where he cemented his position as one of the leading chasers around.

His training team resisted the temptation to take in one of the graded novice events at the Cheltenham Festival en route to their main target of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, and Il Est Francais – who is a 6-1 chance with Paddy Power for next year’s Gold Cup – will tune up for his outing in the Auteuil showpiece on May 19 by running in the Prix Muray in early April.

Il Est Francais will be campaigned in France this spring (Steven Paston/PA)

With that event a little under a month away, George and Zetterholm have begun tightening the screws on the eight-time winner in eager anticipation of his spring campaign on home soil.

“He’s absolutely flying and actually schooled Wednesday morning for the first time since his little break which went really nicely,” said George.

“We started riding him back out from the beginning of February, but we’ve really started stepping up his work again now and he will be spot on for April 6.

“He’s very much on target for that race which is a Grade Two and then it will be the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris on May 19. He’s a horse who likes to run fresh so it gives him a month and a bit to get over it and he should be in great form.”