Il Est Francais back on track with comfortable Auteuil score

Il Est Francais made a successful seasonal reappearance when enjoying a straightforward win in the Grade Three Prix Richard et Robert Hennessy at Auteuil.

Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm’s gelding created a huge impression when winning the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day but was then tailed off in his final outing of last term at this venue in April.

However, the six-year-old got back on track in fine style with a smooth, front-running success under James Reveley, jumping well throughout over two miles and six furlongs on heavy ground.

Toscana Du Berlais threatened to make a race of it turning for home, but Il Est Francais pulled away again to oblige by seven lengths.

“I was actually pretty chilled compared to how I am normally with him because the last couple of weeks he changed, he’s come right, so we had to run,” co-trainer George told Sky Sports Racing.

“He’s definitely needed that today, but from what he was showing in the morning, he had to take his chance.

“He’s going to need that today but he’s shown everyone how good he is.

“At the big ditch, he sees his jumps and then accelerates, James said he had to take him back and he just slipped a little bit, but he did well to get away with that.

“He’s a very good jumper, it’s exciting times. He’s a top-class horse – whatever you ask of him, he is capable of doing.

“He likes to run his races like that and we give him a gap between his runs because he does it the hard way, he’s an exuberant horse and you have to let him get over it.”

A return to Kempton awaits the gelding, with the King George VI Chase the target after another run on home turf.

George added: “He’s back and there’s a lot to look forward to. He’ll come here for the Prix La Haye Jousselin in November, that’s the main target, it’s exactly the same day he won his Listed race before coming to Kempton last time.

“It’s the same timing, the same programme, just against open company.

“It is a step up in trip but ridden like that, he takes lengths over his jumps, so I can’t see why the distance would be an issue.

“We’ll definitely be coming to Kempton (for the King George VI Chase), he loved it there last year. It’s definitely his profile of track, then we’ll have to see what we do after that – we’ll take it step by step.”