Il Est Francais

The win rate across the horse's entire record tells the story: 1 win from 7 races is a modest win rate, though when you look specifically at Class 1 competition, Il Est Francais has won 1 of 5 attempts at that level, a respectable one in five. The problem is what has happened since that Kempton success. Over the last six races, the horse has mustered only one top-3 finish — a second place in the most recent outing, just a day ago. The form is patchy: fifth, sixth, and then a pair of blanks before that runner-up effort. For a horse that can win at the highest level, the current run without victory since December 2023 is a lengthy drought.

Il Est Francais remains actively campaigned by trainer Dan Skelton, whose Alcester yard has been prolific this season, sending out 198 winners. That backing suggests the trainer believes there is still more to come from the eight-year-old, even if recent evidence is thin. The recent second place may hint that the old spark is not entirely gone, but after 34 months without a win and just one top-3 finish in six outings, Il Est Francais is a horse fighting to recapture something that felt briefly possible three years ago.