I’m not as sold on this horse as others evidently are, but on this ground at this trip, Giovinco starts to look a very backable price at 3/1.
Despite my ongoing love affair with Frenchies, I’m not at all convinced that Il Est Francais is at the same sort of level as some of the great French-trained horses we’ve seen over the years, and there has to be a question-mark about him acting on ground this quick (has won on ‘Good’ at Auteuil, tbf). My main concern with him is the pace they will go. It will be helter-skelter quick, and take a lot of jumping - two things which just don’t apply in the vast majority of races at Auteuil.
Nicholls obviously thinks he knows what he has with Hermes Allen, and probably deserves to be favourite. I just wonder about the trip for him, and whether this is a race that’s been defaulted to, because the track wouldn’t suit Stay Away Fay. I think Giovinco can outstay him here, and will meet SAF in the Brown Advisory, with Hermes Allen eventually ending-up in the Turners.