220 Aintree Result
1st Defi Du Seuil 4/11 favourite
2nd Divin Bere 7/2
3rd Bedrock 25/1
Race Report
Defi Du Seuil capped a fine and unbeaten first season over timber with victory in the Grade One Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.
Barry Geraghty was back in the saddle aboard Philip Hobbs' charge and enjoyed an armchair ride for much of the contest.
It turned into harder work than his victory in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, when the jockey was sidelined, but credit for that goes to Divin Bere who led him until just before the final flight and fought all the way to the line, going down by a length-and-a-quarter.
Bedrock ran a huge race on only his second start over obstacles and was a further four-and-a-half lengths away in third.
Sky Bet make the winner an 8/1 chance for next season's Stan James Champion Hurdle.
Reaction:
Barry Geraghty: "He's been brilliant all season but he was very good at Cheltenham. He's a horse with a future, obviously, but to come back and do what he's done today and win again, I think that's seven wins, he's been busy.
"He's very good and he can only improve with time, but it's very hard for a juvenile to hold that level of form all season - Philip has done a brilliant job with him."
Philip Hobbs: "He's still unbeaten over hurdles and the bubble has not been burst yet! We've had two other Triumph Hurdle winners (Made In Japan and Detroit City) but this one would be the best of them.
"We need to talk to JP and everybody else to see what the plan will be for next season, but we've plenty of time to do that. He's very adaptable and he's very tough, he just takes it all very well.
"The thing with most juvenile wonders is they've probably been in training since they were yearlings. This horse did have a couple of AQPS bumpers in France, but it's different to a Flat horse who has been in training a long time. I would certainly think he ought to train on. He's got a fantastic attitude and is a lovely horse to deal with in every way."
Nicky Henderson (trainer of Divin Bere): "He's run very well and we've given him (Defi Du Seuil) a race We'll put him away now and see where we go next season, but we are all very aware how difficult it is for four-year-olds.
"You have Haydock and things like that, but otherwise you're bumping into Champion Hurdle horses. He'll (Defi Du Seuil) be there and the older horses as well, so it probably will be quite difficult, but we'll see what we can do. He's been improving all season and hopefully he can improve again."
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