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Hewick was heroic, Constitution Hill imperious, Marine Nationale impressive, but Il Est Francais was spectacular. I don’t remember a better jumping performance, and seemed to be as strong at the end as at the start.
Other disciplines have had their Golden Ages; the Night Nurse/Monksfield/Sea Pigeon (and many others) fro hurdling, the Moscow Flyer/Azertuiop/Well Chief for 2-mile chasing, but 3 mile chasing remains the Gold Riband.
I hope Il Est Francais goes for the Gold Cup, tho I understand the prize money in France is much betterI doubt if the prize money is a major consideration and that there are other, stronger reasons for them not to come to Cheltenham in 2024.
Il Est Francais is still 50% owned by the stud that bred him, so it would be a big deal for them to have bred a French Gold Cup winner and to have that as their priority.
He’s also still young and lacking experience over fences – Kempton was just his third chase and there are no suitable races for him in France that could provide a warm-up, as racing in Paris doesn’t get going before March.
The normal build-up to the French Gold Cup for a local horse would involve running in a Grade 3 in March, then a Grade 2 in April before the big race in May. Their program is specifically designed to provide this approach for every Grade 1 race Auteuil.
He’ll be a 6yo officially after Jan 1st, but he was foaled in mid April, so not really six on the date of the Gold Cup. Plenty of time for him and Cheltenham 2025 looks much more suitable if all goes well next year.
At least he doesn’t have the sort of traditional French trainer that regards the undulating Cheltenham track as an eccentric trap to be avoided at all costs!
I don’t share the apparent obsession of many with the Cheltenham Gold Cup or even the Cheltenham Festival generally.
Coral briefly went 8/1 Il Est Francais for the 2024 King George after he won yesterday – that was a rick and a half.
Sadly they won’t lay me a brass farthing.
I haven’t seen a horse jump like that in years, I got the same feeling I did after Constitution Hill won the Supreme (would have won the Champion Hurdle that day never mind the following year) and much though I have reason to love Hewick I don’t think he’d see which way Il Est Francais went.
And Il Est Francais is possibly even better on easier ground at Auteuil, where he will win his big-race assignment next year by the length of the Champs-Élysées.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“… he will win his big-race assignment next year by the length of the Champs-Élysées.”
My only doubt is his stamina. The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris is over three miles and six furlongs. While there was no indication that he was coming to the end of his tether on Boxing Day, the natural exuberance shown by Il Est Français doesn’t suggest that a long-distance slog is what he wants.
Of course, he may well just outclass his opponents anyway, but I’d be worried that he might get outstayed if he hasn’t shaken them off by the last.
I agree, actually – it seems to me that a lot of French Jumps races range from an extended 2m to 2m6f and races like the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris and the Jousselin are the exception, not the norm.
A bit like Australian Flat racing being very sprint focussed yet their most famous race being a 2m Handicap, a distance few Australian horses are bred to stay.
I hadn’t actually realised that 3m6f contest was the big domestic target for this novice chaser.
3m on a Park course may well be as far as Il Est Francais wants to go.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Just beautiful to watch. No greater compliment than he reminded me of dessie in full flow. The jump at the second last was just wow. I think that,like dessie,he will get less exuberant with age but his jumping will leave others too much to do.
Let’s just hope he has no issues. A match against galophin should be a race for the ages.Galopin? He’s old hat. The clash we all want to see is Il Est Français against Gaelic Warrior.
Well, all except Nathan. He’ll start crying when his beloved Garlic Bread gets battered.
Tbf, it takes a good horse to make the frame behind Fastorslow twice.
But Galopin Des Champs is “so last spring, darling.”
Il Est Français v Garlic Bread round Taunton is the one we want to see, even if all right-thinking folk already know Nathan’s nag will be French toast when it happens.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"OK, someone has to be a dissenting voice. Don’t we need to keep a sense of perspective about Il Est Francais? He was clearly impressive but he is already being hailed as the Second Coming of Arkle by some people.
I don’t like hailing chasers as all time greats before they have won outside of novice company.
“he is already being hailed as the Second Coming of Arkle by some people.”
Where? I certainly haven’t seen anyone say that on this forum.
I didn’t say it was here, Glad. But certainly in general chatter I have heard and on the Betfair Forum.
Some people here do seem to have already given him next year’s King George.
Tbf, CAS, you and me both piled on Constitution Hill for the Champion Hurdle after after he won the Supreme when obviously still a novice.
Maybe you have different rules for backing chasers, but this one has flown round Kempton Park in a faster time than the King George winner.
I certainly wouldn’t say he’s the Second Coming of Arkle, but he’s the most exciting jumper of a fence I’ve seen in years and I’m confident he can take care of every 3m Park Course chaser in training back at Kempton next Boxing Day.
Gutted I’m closed down by the firm that offered the 8s tbh.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“Tbf, CAS, you and me both piled on Constitution Hill for the Champion Hurdle after after he won the Supreme when obviously still a novice.”
I thought someone might throw that one back at me! But in my opinion Constitution Hill was even more impressive in the Supreme – a performance for the ages. Il Est Francais was impressive but I do not think he was quite in that league.
Having said that, I agree the 8/1 was mighty generous and had I known I would have taken it. But I am not interested at 7/2.
I hope he goes on and proves he is a great in open company but I am not going to get carried away just yet.
This horse jumps like a stag, beautiful to watch, elegant and effortless
Gaelic Warrior a little rough around the edges but has an engine to burn. I wouldn’t like to second guess Mullins but if King George boxing day was a yearly plan he could end up surpassing Kauto’s total
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
“if King George boxing day was a yearly plan he could end up surpassing Kauto’s total”
Just how much did you drink over Christmas?
I think you will find galophin on soft ground in March will be the one to beat. Naive in the extreme to think he won’t win it again. Be great if everybody turns up in 2 years time.
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