JLT NOVICES’ CHASE

(GRADE 1)

IT has been a long road back but the brilliance displayed by Defi Du Seuil throughout his stellar juvenile hurdle season burns as brightly as ever as he capped his return to the big time by becoming only the second home trained winner of this race since its inception in 2011.

As a four-year-old the Philip Hobbs inmate carried all before him during a stunning unbeaten seven race season but it was tough going last term when he ran just twice and looked a shadow of his former self.

FORTUNES

However, his yard’s return to form has sparked a major revival in his fortunes and a defeat of Topofthegame at Exeter coupled with a Grade 1 victory over old foe Lostintranslation last month was evidence of his return to peak form.

The ultimate redemption was at hand here and again it was Lostintranslation who provided the stiffest resistance. Defi Du Seuil (3/1) was ideally positioned throughout for Barry Geraghty and he threw in some prodigious leaps along the way but Geraghty was at pains to delay his challenge and took his mount back on a couple of occasions.

CHALLENGED

On the descent to the straight, a back to form Mengli Khan was harrying Lostintranslation but he gave best between the last two fences and it was at this point that the winner challenged in earnest. A big jump at the last set him up for a strong finish and he got the better of his long-standing rival by two and a quarter lengths with Mengli Khan seven lengths away in third.

“He’s a very, very tough horse and his jumping is fantastic. Sometimes these smaller horses are actually better at jumping than the bigger ones and he is just an amazing little horse. He’s been our flag bearer for the last few seasons” reflected Hobbs who trains the winner for J.P. McManus.

“The horses just weren’t 100% healthy last season and if they aren’t right they are not going to win races so he was left off after two runs. We kept our options open between this race and the Arkle and we decided to come here although realistically I think he might well have won either race.”

Afterwards Geraghty declared: “It was a great race between two really good horses. Lostintranslation beat us here earlier in the season and then we got him in Sandown before confirming the form here. I needed a good jump from him at the last and he delivered.

“Philip has done a great job to get him back and you have to remember what a good four-year-old he was. He’s probably only just getting back to that level now,” continued Geraghty.