OpinionLewis Porteous
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Constitution Hill might not be the only extraterrestrial we get to see at Kempton this Christmas

Happy connections after Il Est Francais made a winning return to the track in the G3 Prix Juigne
The hugely impressive Il Est Francais with connections in France

It might seem a bit early to be talking about Christmas but, after watching Il Est Francais dismantle five rivals over all sorts of varied obstacles at Auteuil a week ago last Sunday, December 26 and a chance to see him in the flesh at Kempton cannot come quick enough.

With Constitution Hill lined up for the Christmas Hurdle on the same card, the opportunity to see the best jumper trained in Britain and arguably the best France has to offer on the same day is a pretty tantalising proposition.

Indeed, Il Est Francais's presence harks back to an era when Boxing Day at Kempton was associated with France's leading chasers taking on the best of the home team. Nupsala, The Fellow, Algan and First Gold won the King George five times between them in an incredible 14-year spell from 1987.

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