Il Est Francais put in a spectacular performance for James Reveley, Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm; trainer George hinted his star could miss the Cheltenham Festival this year and instead run in the French Gold Cup
Tuesday 26 December 2023 14:15, UK
Il Est Francais put up a sparkling jumping display to win the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices' Chase on his British debut at Kempton.
Part-owned by an Englishman in Richard Kelvin-Hughes, ridden by one in James Reveley and trained jointly by another Englishman in Noel George, he was representing France in no uncertain terms.
Still only five, Il Est Francais had carried almost all before him in France and from an early stage had most of his rivals under pressure with his cruising speed and accurate jumping.
Whether meeting fences on a long or short stride, the 13-8 chance made only one semblance of an error over the three miles and Reveley, son of former trainer Keith and a multiple champion jockey in France since moving there, always knew what he had underneath him.
Paul Nicholls' Hermes Allen briefly looked a threat but once Il Est Francais was asked to put the race to bed, he soon opened up a distance between them again and in the end won by 11 lengths.
George trains in partnership with Amanda Zetterholm, while the winner is jointly owed by Haras De Saint-Voir, who also bred the gelding.
"It is not very nice to watch as you always have your stomach in your throat. When you see him in the morning and I say he takes your breath away, he does," said a relieved George.
"I was just nervous him coming over here and showing how good he is. I know he is the real deal. He doesn't have to go in front, he has just got that cruising speed.
"I never work him in front at home as he does too much. He always sits in behind and quickens past them."
On future plans, George said: "He is a horse with so many different options. The dream this season is to win the French Gold Cup (Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris), as his breeder, who owns half of him with Richard Kelvin-Hughes, did everything he did to keep him trained in France to win a French Gold Cup and that is our main aim this season.
"A French Gold Cup then a King George here next year is very much what we would be thinking, but whether we go to Cheltenham we would have to see.
