'He was dynamite' - Barry Geraghty and Philip Hobbs hail retiring Defi Du Seuil

Defi Du Seuil has been retired by JP McManus with his trainer Philip Hobbs describing the nine-year-old as "up there with the very best" he has trained in his long and distinguished career.

And his longtime ally in the saddle Barry Geraghty described the seven-time Grade 1 winner as "a joy to ride".

The most recent of Defi Du Seuil's top-level triumphs came when brushing aside old rival Un De Sceaux in the 2020 Clarence House Chase at Ascot but, following wind surgery over the summer, he had failed to fire in two starts this term.

Hobbs told the Racing Post: "He's been phenomenal, winning seven Grade 1s. We've never had a horse who's achieved that before. And he was a really lovely character in the yard in every way."

"It's just that his form has petered away and it's not good seeing a horse like him running miles below par."

Trainer Philip Hobbs with Defi Du Seuil: 'He was a really lovely character in every way'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Bred by Pierre-Charles Boudot's mother Catherine and bought from Emmanuel Clayeux's academy, the son of Voix Du Nord made an instant impact in his juvenile hurdling season, winning a rare treble of Grade 1s at Chepstow, Cheltenham and Aintree.

He struggled the following season over hurdles before making a major impact when switched to fences.

In 2019 he twice defeated Lostintranslation, securing the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown before landing a second festival success in the JLT Novices' Chase.

Those victories came over intermediate trips but Defi Du Seuil showed his speed and versatility when dropping to the minimum two miles the following season to land the Tingle Creek and the Clarence House.

"Winning twice at Cheltenham was special – how many horses achieve that? – besides all the other Grade 1s," said Hobbs.

When asked to name his favourite memory, he added: "It's probably the Triumph Hurdle because he won so well that day. But at the same time they were all fantastic, he's been a phenomenal horse. Of all the horses we've had here he's up with the very best of them."

As retained rider to McManus, Geraghty was aboard for all but one of those seven top-level victories and singled out his performance as a novice chaser at the festival as the most exhilarating among a host of great memories.

"As a juvenile I really looked forward to when he went chasing," said Geraghty.

"He disappointed early on novice chasing when he was probably too extravagant with his jumping in his first couple of runs. But when the penny dropped, he was brilliant.

"His win in the JLT, he was dynamite that day, he jumped brilliant. I remember he popped the second-last and I could see from miles out he was on a mad long stride."

Barry Geraghty celebrates after Defi Du Seuil's second Cheltenham Festival strike in 2019Credit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

Geraghty added: "Although he wasn't the biggest horse in the world, he just had so much scope and you could just fire him from where you wanted.

"He stood off and attacked the last, flew it and got up to beat Lostintranslation."

Geraghty also has personal reason to remember Defi Du Seuil's epic tussle with Un De Sceaux in the 2019 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

"I suppose his Tingle Creek was probably the other really big one, whereas in the Clarence House it was easy work," said Geraghty.

Defi Du Seuil (right) sprints clear of Un De Sceaux in the Clarence House Chase in 2020Credit: Edward Whitaker

"But it had been 18 years since I'd won the Tingle Creek on Moscow [Flyer] and I'd only just come back from my bad leg fracture. That was a brilliant day and you could just rely on Defi.

"Un De Sceaux was battling hard that day and we did well to hold on on heavy ground. He was a joy to ride – he had so much scope and pace.

"The way he jumped we just knew he was going to be better as a chaser. He was up for it and you knew that if you pressed the button, this fella would answer the call.

"For everyone – JP, Philip and myself – we had brilliant days with him."

Defi Du Seuil's most memorable moments

Triumph Hurdle, Cheltenham (March 17, 2017)

Defi Du Seuil arrived at the Cheltenham Festival riding the crest of a wave after clocking five straight wins over hurdles, including a pair of Grade 2 successes and the Grade 1 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow.

Considered one of the bankers of the week, the 5-2 favourite backed up his burgeoning reputation in tremendous fashion. He travelled like a dream for Richard Johnson and took the lead on the long run to the last before powering clear for a convincing five-length victory. Three weeks later, he completed an unbeaten season when landing a third Grade 1 at Aintree.

Watch the replay here

After failing to fire over hurdles the following season, Defi was sent novice chasing in the autumn of 2018 to devastating effect and began an epic rivalry with Lostintranslation that became one of the highlights of the 2018-19 campaign.

After being beaten in the Dipper on New Year's Day, the now six-year-old took revenge on his Colin Tizzard-trained rival in the Scilly Isles a month later to set up a fascinating decider at the festival.

Defi Du Seuil gets the better of Lostintranslation (right) in the JLT Novices' Chase in 2019Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The race produced a finish befitting the occasion as the pair tussled in an enthralling duel up the Cheltenham hill. Having tracked the leaders for much of the contest, Barry Geraghty produced the 3-1 favourite to join Lostintranslation jumping the last and Defi's superior finishing pace told as he motored away to claim a second festival success.

Watch the replay here

Tingle Creek Chase, Sandown (December 7, 2019)

Despite excelling over two and a half miles as a novice, Defi was not short of pace and had no problem dropping back to the minimum trip, defeating Politologue in the Shloer Chase before facing his toughest test yet against Un De Sceaux at Sandown.

Un De Sceaux was 11 at this point but was still a class act and pushed Defi all the way in a thrilling contest that sits right up there with the best Tingle Creeks.

After hitting the front with a great leap at the last, Defi showed his grit and determination to hold off Un De Sceaux and the fast-finishing Waiting Patiently, achieving a career-high Racing Post Rating of 168.

Watch the replay here

Clarence House Chase, Ascot (January 18, 2020)

Six weeks after their Sandown showdown, Defi and Un De Sceaux were sent off 11-10 joint-favourites when they clashed again at Ascot.

This time the result was a more decisive one as the young star put the race to bed in the blink of an eye with a superb jump and burst of acceleration at the second-last.

This turned out to be his last peak as he disappointed two months later when looking a pre-race certainty for the Champion Chase and never got back to winning form.

Watch the replay here

Read this next:

Dan Skelton: 'Does watching those Irish horses change anything? Not really'

Sharjah to miss Champion Hurdle after scratchings made for major festival races

New Sky Bet customers can get £20 in free bets. New customers only. First single & e/w bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 2 x £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets exclude virtuals. Free bets are non-withdrawable. No free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions. Further T&Cs apply. 18+. begambleaware.org.