What next for Sporting John? Hobbs mulls festival options for Warwick winner

Philip Hobbs is considering either the Pertemps Network Final or the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle for Grade 1-winning chaser Sporting John after his impressive win over hurdles at Warwick on Saturday.

Owned by JP McManus, Sporting John landed the Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown last season, but failed to complete on two subsequent starts over fences.

After undergoing wind surgery in the off-season, he returned to winning ways over hurdles at Cheltenham in November and made it two wins from three starts this season when landing Saturday's Pertemps qualifier off a lofty BHA handicap rating of 151.

Hobbs confirmed on Sunday that Sporting John is likely to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival next, although his target has yet to be decided.

He was halved in price to 8-1 favourite (from 16-1) for the Pertemps and shortened to 16-1 (from 40-1) for the Stayers' after Saturday's success.

"He's entered in the Stayers' Hurdle, but nothing has been discussed and at this stage I really don't know," said Hobbs. "I'd imagine he will go straight to Cheltenham, but for which race I wouldn't know.

"He will jump fences again. I know his form figures aren't very good, but Richard Johnson reminded me the other day that he definitely ought to go back over fences at some stage."

Regardless of where Sporting John heads, Hobbs will be represented in the Grade 1 Stayers' with Thyme Hill on target for the race after finishing second to Champ in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot last month.

"He goes straight for the Stayers' and won't run again before Cheltenham, which was always the plan," said the trainer.

"He's come out of Ascot really good. We just think to get him in the best condition possible he's not a horse who wants too much racing, so he's better off going straight to Cheltenham."

Thyme Hill: will go straight to the Stayers' HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Thyme Hill is rated a general 6-1 chance for the Stayers' Hurdle, with Klassical Dream heading the market at 11-4 and Champ next at 4-1.

The immediate future for another of the trainer's stable stars is unclear after seven-time Grade 1 winner Defi Du Seuil ran disappointingly in Saturday's Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton.

Twice a winner at Cheltenham in March, Defi Du Seuil was beaten 71 lengths behind Mister Fisher at Kempton, and Hobbs is unsure at this stage what the next step may be.

"It was very disappointing but he seems alright again now," he said. "What's going to happen from here, I don't know."

Stayers' Hurdle entries and betting

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