2 minutes Following the underwhelming performance, Il Est Francais' odds for the King George drifted from 9/4 to 8/1, as noted by Coral, with Gaelic Warrior emerging as the new favourite.
Before Il Est Francais's first race since his impressive performance at Kempton on Boxing Day, few anticipated a physical problem as a significant threat in the Prix Murat.
Yet, as veterans in the horse racing industry like Noel George and his more experienced father Tom understand, the risk of an issue with a thoroughbred at a crucial moment is always present.
The reality of the day was disappointing for everyone connected to Il Est Francais, who went from leading his four competitors out of the back straight to struggling significantly by the home stretch.
For George, his training partner Amanda Zetterholm, and spectators, the point at which Il Est Francais began to falter was obscured by the course's landscaping around the bottom bend.
Thoughts from the Jockey
However, jockey James Reveley was certain that the horse's sudden decline was due to more than just the challenging ground conditions or a lack of race-fitness, stating,
"I’m sure there’ll be something amiss because it was too bad to be true really." Reveley described his race strategy focused on conserving energy for the upcoming Grand Steeple, but noted that despite a good performance initially,
"I was happy until the last bend and then I felt him really empty, there was nothing left."
In an unexpected turn of events, Youtwo Glass, trained by Daniela Mele, narrowly defeated George and Zetterholm's other horse, Gallipoli, who secured second place for the third time in the preliminary races to France's premier event on May 19. Gran Diose also showed promise by finishing third.
The Auteuil stewards acknowledged Reveley's concerns about a potential issue with Il Est Francais, though without providing detailed information. Their report vaguely mentioned, "Jockey James Reveley said the gelding Il Est Francais had fallen victim to a physical problem," with confirmation from a racecourse vet.
George and Zetterholm plan to conduct thorough tests on Il Est Francais to decide their next steps towards the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
George speculated on the possibility that the horse's underperformance could be due to a lenient training approach or a change in racing tactics, aiming to conserve energy for the upcoming major race. "We tried something different by covering him up with the next race in mind," George reflected.
Amidst disappointment, Tom George, alongside co-owners Richard Kelvin-Hughes and Nicolas de Lageneste, opted for patience, suggesting a wait-and-see approach to better understand the situation, emphasising, "It's disappointing but it's racing and it happens."
King George Betting Markets React
Following the underwhelming performance, Il Est Francais's odds for the King George drifted from 9/4 to 8/1 with William Hill, with Gaelic Warrior emerging as the new favourite. Gaelic Warrior impressed at the Cheltenham this year, winning the Arkle Challenge. Coral's David Stevens remarked on the shift in betting, highlighting the contrast between Il Est Francais' expected performance and his showing at Auteuil, contrasting it with his prior victory at Kempton.