Vive la France! Can French-breds steal the show at the Cheltenham Festival?

Kitty Trice runs the rule over some of the contingent heading to Prestbury Park

Vauban (Paul Townend) wins the Grade 1 2m juvenile hurdle.Leopardstown.Photo: Patrick McCann/Racing Post05.02.2022

Vauban: son of Galiway one of several strong French-bred fanciesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

There is no such thing as a certainty, Honeysuckle included, but the chances of the suffix FR not following the names of a few winners at Cheltenham is remote,

It hasn’t always been like that. From 1988 to 1993 there was just one French-bred festival winner from 58 runners, Rolling Ball in the 1991 Sun Alliance Chase.

In 1994 there were five French-bred scorers, but it wasn’t until the noughties that the number of French-bred runners, and therefore winners, began to soar.

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Published on 10 March 2022inNews

Last updated 16:49, 10 March 2022

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