The Philip Hobbs-trained Defi Du Seuil, oh so impressive when landing the Grade One JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month, will head to Aintree for the Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, which forms part of the Randox Health Grand National Festival.
The son of Voix Du Nord, unbeaten in six starts under rules in Britain, had looked a juvenile hurdler to follow throughout the season when racking up victories at Ffos Las and Chepstow – in the Grade One Future Champions Juvenile Hurdle – as well as three victories at Prestbury Park prior to his Triumph Hurdle success.
Now Hobbs is keen to target the J P McManus-owned gelding at Liverpool, for which the trainer would also not be worried about the possible good ground at the track, after he proved he handled good conditions at Cheltenham last time, in which he slammed a decent field of juvenile’s including Gordon Elliott’s Mega Fortune and Willie Mullins’ Bapaume by five lengths.
The trainer said:
He has been pleasing at home since Cheltenham and obviously took the race very well as he is in great form. He was very impressive on the good ground in the Triumph as he jumped well and kept galloping all the way to the line, so going to Aintree makes sense and then we will take it from there.
Before Cheltenham all his form had been on conditions that were either soft or more testing and it’s always a worry that horses need that type of ground but he obviously handles most conditions and, if anything, he jumped better at Cheltenham than he had done sometimes in the past.
