Defi Du Seuil gets green light to take on Altior in Champion Chase at Cheltenham

The case for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase being the most-anticipated race at the Cheltenham Festival next month was strengthened on Tuesday morning when Philip Hobbs revealed Defi Du Seuil was right on track to contest it, having taken him out of the Ryanair Chase.

The crack two-miler, who has won the Tingle Creek and Clarence House this season, had headed the betting for the day-two feature, although connections had left the Ryanair door ajar.

However, Defi Du Seuil now seems primed to clash with dual Champion Chase hero Altior and Irish ace Chacun Pour Soi. Altior (Coral) and Defi Du Seuil (generally) can be backed at 9-4 for the race, for which the Willie Mullins-trained Chacun Pour Soi is 11-4.

Watch Defi Du Seuil impress in the Clarence House

"He's been competing at two miles all season and he's won all of his races, so it makes sense to run him in the Champion Chase, although I'm sure he'd stay further no problem," Hobbs said.

"He's won at Cheltenham over two and a half so stamina wouldn't be a problem.

"It's all gone extremely well this season. Has it surpassed our expectations? I suppose we were hopeful he'd do what he's done, so it's all worked out as well as we could have expected."

Hobbs was not getting caught up in the possibility of being involved in what could be the festival's highlight and added: "I'd always rather we were a short-priced favourite and the other two weren't there. I don't want to be particularly involved in that – I want the easiest race I can find is what I'm trying to say!

"It's difficult to tell if Defi is the best horse I've trained at this stage. His rating wouldn't be the highest of who we've trained."

Owned by JP McManus, Defi Du Seuil has always been highly rated by the Hobbs operation and was a star juvenile hurdler in 2016-17 when his campaign culminated with victory in the Triumph and Aintree's Grade 1 for four-year-olds.

Philip Hobbs: Champion Chase winner with Flagship Uberalles in 2002Credit: Edward Whitaker

He had two underwhelming races the following season, although the trainer's Somerset yard was under a cloud then and the French import roared back last term over fences, winning the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase before beating leading Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Lostintranslation in what was then known as the JLT Novices' Chase.

He was beaten by Chacun Pour Soi in Punchestown's Ryanair Novice Chase in May, but has not looked back since, developing into an exciting and classy chaser, who impressed many with a lethal display from old favourite Un De Sceaux in the Clarence House at Ascot in January.

Hobbs has previous with the Champion Chase, capturing it with Flagship Uberalles in 2002.

"Him and Defi are absolute opposites," the 64-year-old continued.

"Flagship was very fragile mentally and physically whereas Defi is the opposite. He's very genuine, which makes it more likely he'll keep producing his form.

"I don't think the ground will make any difference. I think he could run on quick ground and it was good when he won the Triumph Hurdle and he copes with heavy well so I don't think it matters."

His big fancy had been favourite for the £400,000 event until he was joined at the head of the betting recently by Altior, whose four-race festival winning streak also includes the 2016 Supreme and 2017 Arkle.

He was back in the winner's enclosure at Newbury on Saturday when he landed the Betfair-backed race commonly referred to as the Game Spirit, while Chacun Pour Soi was last seen winning Leopardstown's Dublin Chase - a performance Mullins thought was "electric".

"I thought Altior ran a good, solid race, but it'll be more competitive in the Champion Chase," Hobbs said.

A Plus Tard and Min were left vying for Ryanair favouritism around the 3-1 mark following the news.

Successful in last year's Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase in convincing fashion, A Plus Tard is also in the Champion Chase.

He runs in the colours of Cheveley Park Stud, whose Chris Richardson said on Tuesday: "I think the Ryanair is probably favourite, but a lot of it depends on the ground because two miles on soft/heavy ground is different from two-miles-five on soft/heavy. We'll keep our options open."

Asked if the Defi Du Seuil decision would affect their thinking, Richardson replied: "We'll assess all these things as they unravel."

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