JP McManus pair Champ and Defi Du Seuil ruled out of weekend targets

The green and gold hoops of JP McManus will be missing from two of Saturday's feature races, with Defi Du Seuil and Champ set to skip their respective engagements.

The 2019 Tingle Creek winner Defi Du Seuil had been scheduled to aim for a repeat success in the Betfair-backed Grade 1 at Sandown but on Wednesday trainer Philip Hobbs announced he would be given a little longer to recover from his seasonal debut at Ascot, his first start since undergoing wind surgery.

Hobbs told the Racing Post: "Defi Du Seuil won't be going to Sandown on Saturday now, for two reasons. Firstly we just feel it might be coming a bit quick after Ascot.

"And secondly, the ground looks like it might be on the quicker side and we just feel that these days, he might need a bit further than two miles in those conditions."

Defi Du Seuil had been a general 25-1 chance behind 6-4 favourite Chacun Pour Soi for the race.

Defi Du Seuil (right): on his way to success in the 2019 Tingle Creek ChaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Nicky Henderson has also decided against running Champ in the Unibet Many Clouds Chase at Aintree on the same day, with a return to action over hurdles not ruled out.

Champ has not been seen since being pulled up in the Gold Cup, after which he underwent surgery for kissing spines.

Henderson told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: "He's difficult to place. We thought about the Many Clouds but we're going to leave that alone for now and just see how things go. He's one that's just got a bit to find yet and he probably wants some easier ground as well."

Henderson has given Champ an entry in the Howden Long Walk Hurdle on December 18 and said his jumping session at Seven Barrows would go some way to determining the next step.

"You saw in the Gold Cup, we've just got to get his jumping right, said Henderson. "He'll school tomorrow and then we'll decide which route to take."

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