Tom George eyeing Ascot return for Il Est Francais

Tom George has identified the Ladbrokes 1965 Chase at Ascot as a possible comeback target for his top-class recruit Il Est Francais.

Although the seven-year-old officially won his first Grade One under George’s name, he has spent much of his career based in France under the tutelage of the Slad-based trainer’s son Noel and Amanda Zetterholm, for whom he won multiple major prizes at Auteuil as well as the 2023 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton.

Il Est Francais returned to the Sunbury circuit last Christmas to finish second in the King George VI Chase but subsequently disappointed in the Ryanair at the Cheltenham Festival and connections have since opted to give him a full season in Britain this term.

Now owned outright by Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes, he again has Kempton’s Boxing Day highlight as his major objective and George is delighted with how he has settled into his new surroundings.

“I’m very happy with him, everything we’ve asked him to do he’s done very nicely,” he said on Tuesday.

“He went to Worcester for one of the schooling races the other day and he enjoyed that. It wasn’t much of a race for him, but he basically went round Worcester and jumped very well and showed all the spark we wanted to see.

“He’s really adapted to the hills and everything else here now. I have got a mile-and-a-half (flat) long gallop as well, so he’s doing a bit of everything, but he’s really adapted to the hills and he’s in a good routine.

“He has changed shape. Noel was over a few days ago watching him and looking at him and he was delighted with how he was looking.”

On the next steps with Il Est Francais, George added: “He’ll have another away day quite soon and then we’re leaning towards running him Ascot on November 22. He seems to be enjoying his work and enjoying life and we’re just finding our way, but that will be the first entry he’ll have anyway and if he’s ready for then we’ll run and if he’s not we won’t.”