Fasten your seatbelts and watch Il Est Francais fly as he attempts to make an impact in the King George VI chase
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He grabbed headlines 12 months ago and what a feat that was. On a day when Hewick wrote a fairytale and Constitution Hill had us swooning, the display at Kempton that drew gasps and fired dreams came from Il Est Francais. The King George and the Christmas Hurdle, both sponsored by Ladbrokes, historically are the races that make Boxing Day crackle but the moment Il Est Francais turned into Zebedee from the Magic Roundabout, and began jumping like he was on springs, the narrative changed.
![[Trainer Noel George says Il Est Francais is in great form and has an unbelievable coat on him]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/20/93464943-0-image-a-81_1735071744185.jpg)
Kempton is on Heathrow’s flight path and it was striking to see Il Est Francais going airborne as planes were coming into land in the distance. What this flamboyant chaser did 366 days ago in the Kauto Star Novices Chase was out of the ordinary. Shrewd judges, who have seen it all over the years, raced to the paddock after he romped away with the Grade One prize to get a look at what everyone envisaged was racing’s next big thing.
![[Spillane's Tower, supplied by trainer Jimmy Mangan, could give JP McManus his first success in the King George]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/20/93465033-0-image-a-87_1735072490262.jpg)
To give some context, consider this: the Kauto Star and the King George are run over the same three-mile course. Il Est Francais was so dashing that he covered the distance five seconds quicker than Hewick did an hour later. Since then, though, things haven’t gone to plan. Il Est Francais – boldly named for one trained in Chantilly, the epicentre of French racing, by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm – has had just three races: a win in September sandwiched by lamentable efforts in April and November.
