DEFI DU SEUIL roared back to form yesterday at Exeter where he produced a good round of jumping to account for the slow-starting Topofthegame in the Heavitree Brewery PLC Novices’ Chase.

There was small drama at the start when Topofthegame, much touted out of Paul Nicholls’s yard, and racing in the famous Paul Barber silks here, whipped around and lost several lengths. That he was able to work his way back into this two-mile-three-furlong contest speaks a good deal of his ability. Understandably he he had no answer to the winner, who travelled smoothy for Barry Geraghty in the straight, took it up before the last and went away to win comfortably by just over three lengths.

Favourite Black Op closed back up on Topofthegame to finish third, and this wasn’t a huge disappointment for the chasing debutant and Grade 1-winning novice hurdler.

Defi Du Seuil had huge questions to answer after disappointing when fifth of five to Lalor at Cheltenham but he was a hugely talented juvenile, when he won three Grade 1s, and this was much more like it. The Philip Hobbs stable never got going last season and he may have been a victim of that, well beaten on his only two runs.

SANDOWN

At Sandown, Aghabullogue winning pointer Alsa Mix (12/1) maintained her unbeaten record in the Grade 2 Ballymore Winter Novices’ Hurdle for Alan King and Wayne Hutchinson. Formerly trained by Paul Pierce, the six-year-old produced a strong staying performance in heavy ground, and proved too good for the Colin Tizzard-trained Darlac, who was ridden by Robbie Power.

The form of the race was let down a little by joint favourites Down The Highway, who was pulled up, and Truckin Away, who fell at the first.

Earlier on the card, Nigel Twiston-Davies trained another notable winner for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, through juvenile Torpillo (4/1), who was hugely impressive winning the Simon Jennings Memorial Introductory Juvenile Hurdle by 23 lengths.

The French recruit can be backed at 20/1 for the Triumph Hurdle.

LEICESTER THURSDAY

Gordon Elliott and Joseph O’Brien recorded a winner each at Leicester on Thursday. Rightdownthemiddle (6/1) stayed on nicely to claim Shadow’s Boy in an extended two-and-a-half mile selling hurdle. O’Brien took the last, a mares’ handicap hurdle with 7/4 favourite Camile.