Defi Du Seuil disappoints at Ascot as Lil Rockerfeller wins Coral Hurdle

Defi Du Seuil tamely lost his unbeaten record for Philip Hobbs as he trailed in fourth behind Lil Rockerfeller in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot.

The former had won all of his seven starts last season and was the top juvenile hurdler, but he could never get into a challenging position on his first try over two miles and three and a half furlongs.

Karl Thornton’s Irish raider Wakea set the pace, closely tracked by Lil Rockerfeller, while Defi Du Seuil was near the back and clouted a hurdle in the straight on the first circuit.

Lil Rockerfeller (9-4), trained by Neil King, took over from Wakea after the second-last flight and bounded clear under Trevor Whelan. L’Ami Serge stayed on to claim second place, but was a length and a half down at the line.

King said: “That was super. It was very well deserved by the horse. We started this season without a penalty, which helped.

“He is a horse that is better over three miles these days and we will come back for the Long Walk (Hurdle) now.”

Hobbs said of the vanquished Defi Du Seuil: “At this stage there is no reason for it. Obviously that is not his running.”

Top Notch earlier brushed away the opposition in the straight to run out an easy winner of the Christy 1965 Chase.

Leading before the second-last flight, Nicky Henderson’s six-year-old soon put the race to bed and galloped clear.

Smad Place was prominent early on while last year’s winner Royal Regatta forced his way into the lead after being slowly away from a standing start.

Nico de Boinville had Top Notch in the perfect position and the 5-2 joint-favourite went on to score by eight lengths from Double Shuffle for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Henderson said: “If you had a poll of the most popular horse in the place, he would win. Everybody loves him. You could not have a nicer horse.

“He would die for you and he has been like that all his life. I never thought he would jump a fence as they must look enormous to him.

“He is just game, tough and loves it. He came back in fatter than me. These horses are just taking a run.

“I think this is his perfect trip. One day we might have a peep at three (miles). Nobody has asked him to go three miles and if you are going to ask him to go three miles you might as well ask in a King George as well as anywhere else.”

Quote of the day

Max Kendrick on his first Ascot winner aboard Graceful Legend: “Just when you walk in you realise what a special place it is and you think of all the great champions that have been here. “It’s unbelievable.”

Ride of the day

Mark Grant may not get the opportunities some of his weighing room colleagues enjoy but he showed he is more than capable after giving Count Meribel a perfect ride from the front.

Performance of the day

Ben Pauling appears to have a nice sort in Nestor Park, who struck at the second time of asking in the concluding bumper.