Noel George is planning to send Il Est Francais straight to the Cheltenham Festival, with the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Gold Cup currently considered more likely targets than the Ryanair Chase.
Results have been mixed for the seven-year-old since his brilliant victory in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton last season, but he showed his true colours on his return to the Sunbury circuit at Christmas when putting up another bold show from the front in the King George.
Il Est Francais ultimately had to make do with the runner-up spot after being reeled in by Banbridge, and a third trip to Kempton for the £150,000 Ladbrokes Trophy on 22 February had been under consideration.
However, connections have now elected to keep their powder dry for the showpiece meeting in the Cotswolds in eight weeks’ time.
"I only really had the option of that race at Kempton in case we were going to wait for Aintree, but we’re definitely going to come to Cheltenham, I think, and we’ll probably go straight there," said George, who trains Il Est Francais in partnership with Amanda Zetterholm.
"The horse looks in great form, he’s got his summer coat still. He was obviously pulled up in his previous race at Auteuil and it all took a bit of patching up, but he’s come out of the King George in great form and we’re looking forward to Cheltenham.
"I think the style of British fences makes a big difference to him, I’m not sure it’s just Kempton. I think just the style of British fences suit him better probably."
Il Est Francais is entered in the two-mile Champion Chase, the two-mile-five-furlong Ryanair and the three-and-a-quarter-mile Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
Given his bold front-running style over three miles, one of the shorter races would appear the most logical trip-wise, but George is not ruling out a tilt at Gold Cup glory.
He added: "I’m very much keeping my cards close to my chest and I think we’ve just got to watch the races over the next month or so. The Clarence House Chase at Ascot at the weekend is going to be a big decider in where we go.
"I’d be surprised if we went for the intermediate distance unless the race really cut up. At the moment, it looks like a lot of people are taking the Ryanair route and if that was looking a strong race, I think we might go for one of the others.
"If they all decide to go Champion Chase or Gold Cup route, then we might reconsider, but at the moment, if the Ryanair is as strong as it looks on paper, we probably wouldn’t be going to it."
Part of George’s thinking is that many may avoid taking on dual Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs in the blue riband, which could well lead to a smaller field and potentially allow his charge to dictate.
"If the only horse to beat in the Gold Cup is Galopin Des Champs…and whether we’d get a freebie in front with the race cutting up and everyone going to the Ryanair, it’s tough to say," he said.
"I think we’ve just got to see where everyone is going and how everyone goes in their next race.
"It’s also important to consider that the Gold Cup is run on a fresh strip of ground that is only used once a year down the inside. Last year, a horse like The Real Whacker made the running in the Gold Cup and he couldn’t live with us in Kempton.
"There’s loads of options and we’ve just got to see how it’s all going to play out, I think."
The Real Whacker (above) will also head straight to Cheltenham, with the Gold Cup a the definite target for Patrick Neville's charge.
After winning the Charlie Hall at Wetherby and finishing fourth in the King George VI Chase for the second year in succession, The Real Whacker looked set to head to Cheltenham on Saturday week for the Cotswold Chase, having filled the runner-up spot behind Capodanno last season.
But due to heavy snow and plummeting temperatures in the last fortnight, Neville has not yet saddled a runner in 2025 and is happy to take a patient approach with his stable star.
"We missed about eight days, I think. There was nothing we could do about it, all we could do was get them on the walker," said the trainer.
"We’re not panicking about it. In a couple of weeks, we’ll be back on track.
"The Whacker is in great form, but I don’t think I’m going to get to the Cotswold Chase. We missed probably a week with him and the ground is probably going to be soft down there anyway, so we’re going to wait for the Gold Cup.
"We’ll go there fresh, we know he wants a bit of nice ground and we’ve more chance of getting that in March when we have the long days and long evenings to dry it out."
The Real Whacker memorably came out on top in a titanic tussle with Gerri Colombe at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, but was pulled up in a soft ground Gold Cup last season after making much of the running under Sam Twiston-Davies.
Neville feels his charge will be "better prepared" this time around and is praying for a sound surface.
He added: "We were delighted with his run in the King George this year and he came out of it well and has strengthened up.
"We’re going to the Gold Cup probably better prepared this year. We think we learnt a lot last year and we’ll go there fresh and well and let him take his chance."
