Battle Of Jericho narrowly denied the popular Gordon Lord Byron in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race at Navan.
Only three went to post, and it proved once more a big field is not always needed to produce an exciting race.
Once the big two had seen off Sheila Lavery's Mr Scarlet, they served up a tremendous duel.
Gordon Lord Byron, fresh from a real return to form at York last time out, was under pressure some way out and Seamie Heffernan looked as if he could take him on Aidan O'Brien's Battle Of Jericho whenever he wanted.
However, as he has so often in the past, the 10-year-old Gordon Lord Byron kept on responding to pressure and Heffernan had to get serious with the 15-8 second-favourite, just prevailing by a short head.
"I'm not surprised he's won, the surprise is that he hasn't won a lot more," said Heffernan.
"He had his head in the right place today. He does show a good bit more, but he's won a couple this year and they can't all be top class."
