COBDEN HOPES FRANC’S READY TO CASH IN

COURSE PROVEN II Est Francais was runner-up last year

- BY DAVID YATES

HARRY COBDEN is confident II Est Francais can be “absolutely Al" after he received the call-up to ride last year’s King George VI Chase runner-up at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.

Cobden will replace regular jockey James Reveley, who rode ll Est Francais to finish second to Banbridge 12 months ago — and was also on board when the seven-year-old was pulled up at Ascot last month.

Il Est Francais is a 20-1 chance with King George sponsor Ladbrokes on the back of that flop, but Cobden said yesterday: “Everything that I've done on him suggests he's absolutely Al. “I've schooled him and galloped him a couple of times and at home he still feels like he's got it.