Triumph hero Defi Du Seuil set to return at Cheltenham in October

Last season’s top juvenile hurdler Defi Du Seuil is set to return to Cheltenham at the end of next month as trainer Philip Hobbs plots a campaign centred upon a tilt at the Stan James Champion Hurdle.

Defi Du Seuil landed the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last March and Hobbs is set unleash the four-year-old at the track's Showcase meeting.

Speaking at his annual owners’ day on Sunday, the trainer said of his stable star: “He arrived back in the yard last month after his summer break at owner JP McManus’ Martinstown Stud and looks absolutely fantastic. We were obviously delighted with him last season as he was unbeaten in seven races.

“It's a long time since I trained a horse to win seven races on the trot and he's an exciting prospect for the future. With that in mind, he's very likely to return to action at Cheltenham at the end of nxt month, and we'll take the rest of the season from there."

Champion Hurdle hope

He continued: “If he's going to develop into a Champion Hurdle hopeful he'll have to run well in the Cheltenham race, where he'll have to shoulder an 8lb penalty for his Grade 1 successes in the Triumph and at Aintree, but he was the best horse of his age last season so in theory should be up to it.”

Looking further ahead for Defi Du Seuil who is second favourite for the Champion Hurdle at 7-1 with sponsors Stan James, Hobbs added: "As long as Cheltenham went to plan, I suppose the next stop will be either the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle or International Hurdle back at Prestbury Park in December – he doesn't get a penalty in the Fighting Fifth so that might be the right option.”

Hobbs certainly knows what it takes to win a Champion Hurdle as he saddled Rooster Booster to take the hurdling crown in 2003.

However, he stressed the pair are very different types, saying: “It’s not really possible to make any comparison between them as Rooster Booster didn't see a racecourse until he was five and Defi Du Seuil is a much more forward type, being French-bred.”

2018 Stan James Champion Hurdle (March 13)

Stan James: 3 Buveur D'Air, 7 Defi Du Seuil, 8 Faugheen, 10 Apple's Jade, Yorkhill, 16 bar.

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