Champagne West produced a brilliant front-running display to run out a wide-margin winner of the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park.
Henry de Bromhead's charge was lumbered with a big weight on 11st 7lb, but turned what looked a fiercely competitive handicap into a procession in the hands of local jockey David Mullins.
Among the leading contenders for the race at 7-1 after impressing in a Listed event at Tramore on New Year's Day, the Roger Brookhouse-owned nine-year-old jumped accurately at the head of affairs and had most of his rivals in trouble a long way from home.
Ucello Conti looked a major threat rounding the home turn, but Champagne West was in no mood to be caught and picked up again between the final two fences before pinging the last to seal a seven-and-a-half-length success.
Ucello Conti was a clear second, with Bonny Kate just beating Pleasant Company to third place.
Mullins said: "When you only live two minutes over the road, it's great. I've missed plenty of days at school to come here.
"He's ran away with me for at least two-six and for a horse to be getting free with you five (fences) out in that ground is not normal. To win off such a high weight, he must have a serious engine."
Bookmakers cut Champagne West to 40-1 from 100-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, while he is 14-1 from 25-1 for the Ryanair Chase.
De Bromhead said: "I'm delighted for Roger as he's given us some really nice horses. My father happened to win it 25 years ago, so I'm delighted to win it for the first time.
"David gave him a brilliant ride, as he's not easy. He sat so quietly on him, which we hoped was the key to him. We've done a fair bit of work with his jumping, but it's there and it's just as much confidence as well.
"He likes to gallop and jump and bar the fifth-last he was brilliant. He just guessed at that a little bit."
He added: "Off 154 you probably need to be a Grade One horse and hopefully he might be.
"He's entered in races at Cheltenham and is entered in the Gold Cup, but that's a big step. We'll enjoy today, speak to Roger and then go from there.
"He's probably going to get a bit of a hike for that. I was going to come back here for the Red Mills if he had stopped at the third-last and we might still do that, I'm not sure yet.
"He'll be entered for Aintree (Grand National). He was always going to be entered in it."
Shaneshill (9-4) showed class and determination in equal measure to come out on top in the Grade Two John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle.
Last seen taking a crashing fall in the Christmas Hurdle, Willie Mullins' stayer showed no ill effects from that mishap, jumping well at the head of affairs, and had enough in the tank at the business end to repel Snow Falcon by three-quarters of a length, with favourite Clondaw Warrior only third.
Bon Papa was all the rage for the Langton House Hotel Maiden Hurdle and didn't disappoint, coming home four and a half lengths clear of Giant Spirit as the 1-5 favourite, without Barry Geraghty having to resort to the whip.
Mullins followed up the victories of Bon Papa and Shaneshill by saddling Great Field (3-1) to a comeback success on his fencing debut in the PMF Accountants Beginners Chase, and the champion trainer completed a four-timer thanks to Getabird in the P.J. Foley Memorial Flat Race.
The Champion Bumper favourite was given a race by Hardline but Patrick Mullins didn't really have to get too serious to score by a length and a quarter on the 1-10 favourite.
Watch live coverage of racing from Leopardstown, including the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle, from 1340 on RTÉ2 this Sunday.
