Inglis Drever (15-8 favourite) produced a magnificent performance to record his third consecutive victory in the totesport.com Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.
The Howard Johnson-trained eight-year-old - twice crowned champion staying hurdler at the Cheltenham Festival - hit his customary flat spot at one stage but took much closer order following a bad mistake by long-time leader Blazing Bailey at the third-last.
He took off narrowly ahead of Oscar Park two out, where that rival came to grief, and readily saw off the attentions of Special Envoy with a great leap at the last.
Four lengths was the margin of success at the line.
Winning rider Denis O'Regan told Channel 4 Racing: ‘It's the first time I have ridden him in a race. I thought I was in trouble but he was only just getting going and he loves it. He's as tough as they come, he has the heart of a lion.’
Johnson said: ‘I am very grateful to Haydock for letting me work him (after racing last weekend) because the older he gets the harder it is to get him fit.
‘We will try to win the World Hurdle again providing he is in one piece, but he won't run very often and if he does run before that I would favour the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham, while the ground could have gone for him by the time Liverpool comes around.’
Peter Bowen said of the runner-up, a last-flight faller at Aintree last Sunday with the race at his mercy: ‘That was all right, but the race came a bit quick after last weekend.
‘He is best fresh and I would have preferred a three-week gap but there was nowhere else to go as the handicapper put him up to 159.
‘We will probably look at the Long Walk Hurdle now and he will have to go to the World Hurdle at Cheltenham, although Aintree might suit him better.’
Kasbah Bliss took third and his trainer Francois Doumen said: ‘That was a decent comeback for a horse who has had two months off on ground that didn't suit.
‘We will look at the Long Walk now where the ground should be better for him and Cheltenham has always been the long-term aim.’
