Buveur D'Air showed his resolve for a battle when posting a tenacious success in the Imagine Cruising First In The Frame Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.
After finishing third in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the Nicky Henderson-trained gelding went two places better in the Grade One prize on Merseyside.
Held up early on in close proximity to favourite Limini, the 11-4 shot travelled smoothly into the extended two-mile contest under Noel Fehily before going after leader Petit Mouchoir after two out.
With little to separate the pair over the last, it was only inside the final 100 yards that the five-year-old forged ahead before defeating the Willie Mullins-trained runner by a neck.
Winning rider Noel Fehily said: "It worked out well. I didn't intend to be as far back as I was, but it's just where I ended up when the tapes went back.
"We went a good, strong gallop. He's just a very good horse and I love him to bits.
"He's as good a jumper of a hurdle as I've ever sat on."
Henderson said: "We've always wondered whether this fellow needed to go up to two and a half (miles) and that was the big question about today.
"It was either take on Yorkhill (over two and a half) or Limini. We've stuck to two and we've got away with it.
"Noel has given him a lovely ride because he can be quite keen still - he races like a two-miler, but perhaps he's going to get the two and a half.
"He's travelled well and he's done everything right. He took his time to get past him (Petit Mouchoir), but I think he stays well."
