- This topic has 73 replies, 21 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 11 months ago by
.
- Posts
Those inconsiderate French ne’er-do-wells, ignoring lazy Anglophones when they name their horses!
Hanging’s too good for them!
“Very, very impressive. Shame about the name. Not one that easily rolls off the tongue if he were to become a superstar.”
That’s why Gladders calls him Garlic Bread
I wouldn’t overly read too much into the time of the KG. They went hard early and for long. Hewick looked to be finishing fast but the two in front were stopping making it look better that what it was
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
The way the name is pronounced in French is I believe:
“Eel Ey Fronsay”
…which rolls off the tongue better than most English named horses tbh.
Value Is EverythingFrench-trained horse with a quintessential French name – works for me.
A lot better than various racehorse names over here.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"In the King George BMG, A and S did get racing too early and had nothing left for the final two furlongs. So a direct time comparison should be avoided. ie Bravemansgame, Allaho and Shishkin are better than the KG race time suggests.
However, for Il Est Francais to do his race time suggests that with even less than normal improvement – from novice to second season – he’ll be right up with if not better than an average winner of the King George. That said, there may also be a slight doubt about whether the horse needs to front run in order to produce such a performance.
Value Is EverythingGloria Victis similar profile bolted up in the Kempton race , bolted up in Racing Post Chase few months later then they got tempted to go to GC , hope this horse does not go there this year as that was a real shame with Gloria Victis .
To name him that they must have known when he was very young that he was very special. And that he was going to be kept in France. I think it’s great to have a top class French trained French owned horse running in all the top races. Good for them! It’s a long time since a horse took my breath away whilst watching a race the way that he did the other day.
As long as Pau and Cagnes-Sur-Mer are the only French NH meetings over Christmas and beyond, the KG will remain a suitable target.
After today’s GDC display they might consider the GC as early as 2025, if they consider it at all.
“Gloria Victis similar profile bolted up in the Kempton race , bolted up in Racing Post Chase few months later then they got tempted to go to GC , hope this horse does not go there this year as that was a real shame with Gloria Victis”
—————
Coneygree had a very similar profile, bolted up in the Kempton race, bolted up in the Denman Chase later, then they got tempted to go for the GC. Shame they got tempted, but hold on… Coneygree won!
Il Est Fracais also (already) has as many completed starts over fences as Dawn Run before she won the Gold Cup. Just one more and he’ll have as many starts altogether.
Although I do not expect Il Est Francais to run in the Gold Cup and may not run at the Cheltenham Festival at all this season.
Value Is EverythingHaving a star horse for which Cheltenham is not viewed as the be all and end all could be a good thing for the wider health of the sport.
Coneygree was 8 , the other two 6 at GC time , Coneygree won a 3 runner Graduation Chase at 1 /4 fresh up next season and never won another race , pulled up three times , long spells off .
Exactly Helcat’,
Coneygree was prone to injuries and therefore had he missed the Gold Cup that year the probability of him never being in the best of form for future Gold Cups was quite high.Il Est Francais probably more like Dawn Run, and Dawn Run was a much worse leaper than the French horse, That said, DR had won one chase the previous year so had no other Cheltenham alternative over fences. Not sure if she was entered in the Champion Hurdle.
You are right that IEF has bags of potential and do agree the Gold Cup may not be the wisest of options this season… Just not keen on the comparison of Gloria Vectis; at least not without giving positive outcomes too.
Value Is EverythingTheir major goal is the French Gold Cup in May but I am not sure 3m6F is going to see him to best effect especially with the likelyhood of that deep French ground.
Kempton was his first try on anything other than very soft or heavy ground and only his second start over further than 2m3F and the cruising speed he showed was very impressive, the jockey looked to be very close to being run away with at times.
Clearly, if he did go to Cheltenham, the Ryanair would likely come into consideration but I would avoid the Gold Cup altogether with him as like the French Gold Cup, I am not sure the trip would play to his strengths and in that regard for me, I would throw the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons and run him in the Champion Chase – his jumping would put so much pressure on both Jonbon and El Fabiolo and to see him winging around Cheltenham at that trip would be a joy to behold.
On the subject of his jumping, I do not believe I have seen a horse get from one side of a fence to the other with the speed he does….the gasp from the crowd when he winged the 4th last took me back to the days when Dessie used to let fly at his fences.
Truth be told his style very much reminds me of the videos I have watched of the great Mill House jumping in his pomp…..its almost like they are hurdling their fences and spending as little amount of time in the air as possible and even when they are not on a good stride they are still quick enough to lose very little (if no) ground at all to their rivals.
It was for me the X-Mas highlight and just shaded GDC’s demolition job yesterday.
Fully agree there, LD.
If IEF is the new Kauto Star a CC or even a Tingle Creek will easily be within his reach. Just imagine connections going for the Tingle Creek King George double next year. As already mentioned, there is nothing of that calibre to be won in France between November and March. Why keep him in the stable?
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.