Ante-post supporters of Wholestone are ahead of the game

There was plenty to like within the JCB Triumph Hurdle picture on Saturday, not least from Defi Du Seuil, who did a very professional job in another course-and-distance warm-up for the juvenile crown when winning the opener at Cheltenham.

Barry Geraghty was not worried about being tracked by main rival Domperignon Du Lys for much of the way and left him somewhere in Bishop's Cleeve when crossing the line on the bridle.

Not surprisingly, the Philip Hobbs-trained son of Voix Du Nord was cut to a general 8-1 (from 12) second favourite for the Triumph, although the hurly-burly of a four-times larger field in March will, of course, provide a vastly different test.