A closing determination on Il Est Francais’ Cheltenham Competition project might be made subsequent week, with Noel George admitting he’s favouring a tilt on the Ryanair Chase.
The King George runner-up is about to drop again in distance at Prestbury Park, with an enterprising run again at two miles within the Queen Mom Champion Chase nonetheless being thought-about by the seven-year-old’s French-based coaching crew.
Each Il Est Francais and his Cheltenham-bound stablemate Stencil underwent pre-match apply on the Chantilly education grounds on Wednesday and, with it wanting more and more seemingly the French raider will goal on the Ryanair, a conflict with Reality To File might be on the playing cards.
Priced as brief as 3/1 second favorite behind his Willie Mullins-trained rival, George is assured of a daring bid if Il Est Francais meets appropriate situations within the Cotswolds.
“The Cheltenham runners schooled well on Wednesday morning and all is good. At this stage we’re probably looking at the Ryanair for Il Est Francais,” mentioned George, who trains the gelding with Amanda Zetterholm.
“The climate may play an enormous issue and we do not have to decide till subsequent week actually and something may occur in per week, so there is no such thing as a level dashing.
“I can not see any issues about Cheltenham and you may see with how he jumps he’s such a well-balanced horse. Lots of people appear to be saying he is a flat-track bully, however nobody actually is aware of and I can not see that.
“I think if it does come up on goodish, fresh ground in the Ryanair on the Thursday, I think he will take plenty of stopping.”
Stencil ‘thrilling’ contender in Fred Winter
George additionally has excessive hopes for Stencil within the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle after watching the JP McManus-owned teen chase residence East India Dock on Competition Trials day.
Handed a mark of 135, Stencil is the overall 5/1 market chief for the opening-day handicap, along with his coach describing him as an “exciting runner”.
“I would like to hope the ones above him run so we don’t have top weight, but he’s a big, strong horse and I’m pretty happy with the mark,” mentioned George.
“A lot of the ones above him in the ratings I know from French form and I don’t think we’re badly in. He’s an exciting runner.
“For me, East India Dock could be my thought of the Triumph Hurdle winner whenever you take a look at the clock and what Timeform have mentioned and every little thing. I believed we ran an excellent race in defeat and have improved a bit of bit since, so we have our fingers crossed for a very good run.”
