Thedevilscoachman was delivered with a perfectly-timed run to land the BetVictor Boyne Hurdle at Navan.
Trained by Noel Meade and ridden by Mark Walsh, the six-year-old was returning to the smaller obstacles after running over fences twice this term, chasing home Cheltenham Festival contenders Ferny Hollow and Saint Sam.
Back over hurdles, Thedevilscoachman (4-1) travelled well throughout the two-mile-five-furlong trip for Walsh, as Ashdale Bob made a bold bid for victory from the front.
He was briefly headed by Grand Roi, but grabbed the lead back in the straight only for Walsh to produce his mount to challenge coming to the final flight in the feature Grade Two contest.
It looked as though Ashdale Bob might just hold on, but Thedevilscoachman was reeling him in with every stride and eventually shaded it by a head at the line.
Commander Of Fleet was a further nine and a half lengths back in third with leading Grand National contender Longhouse Poet unplaced after being sent off the 5-2 favourite.
Bookmakers make the winner an 8-1 shot from 16s for the Coral Cup at Cheltenham and Meade feels that would be a better option at the Festival than the shorter County Hurdle.
"He jumped so badly the last day, he wasn't having a cut at his fences at all, and Mark thought he sort of lost his bottle a bit," said Meade.
"We thought that it was getting so late in the season that we'd maybe go back over hurdles and see how it goes.
"When I schooled him at home over hurdles, he wasn't exactly showing me an awful lot but he jumped great for him today.
"I think the ground is a big factor with him. When he won his bumper in Naas he sprouted wings in it and he did the same today when he got going. He really came home.
"I haven't a notion where he goes next. He's in the Coral Cup and the County Hurdle - if he goes, the Coral Cup would be the one, but it might not be easy after that.
"You'd imagine the way he did that he'd go to three miles."
Farouk D'Alene outbattled Beacon Edge to claim Grade Two honours in the BetVictor Ten Up Novice Chase.
The first two home both sported the colours of Gigginstown House Stud, but it was the Gordon Elliott-trained Farouk D'Alene who took full advantage of the 7lb he was receiving from Beacon Edge, who hails from the Meade yard.
The pair were locked together jumping the last but 4-11 favourite Farouk D'Alene just kept finding a little more on the run to the line, eventually prevailing by three-quarters of a length in the hands of Jack Kennedy.
The Brown Advisory Novices' Chase looks to be on the cards at next month's Cheltenham Festival.
Elliott said: "He was entitled to do that and he only does what he has to do.
"I thought Limerick was going to happen again there and he was going to get collared on the line.
"He's a grand horse. He's in the Brown Advisory and the National Hunt Chase. We'll see where we are and see what the ground is and then make our mind up. He'd need soft in it.
"He a deceiving type of horse, he's quicker than he looks.
"He didn't jump great in Naas the last day and it took him a while to get his confidence there. Down over the last three he was good."
Brampton Belle (7-2) is set for a step up in class after lifting the Listed BetVictor Apple's Jade Mares Novice Hurdle.
A Tramore maiden hurdle winner in December, Brampton Belle had found Eric Bloodaxe too good in a Grade Two heat at Limerick over Christmas, but dropping back in class and switching to mares-only company, Henry de Bromhead's charge regained the winning thread.
Rachael Blackmore was pushing along with a couple to jump, but Brampton Belle made her challenge at the final flight and dug deep on the run to the line to hold off the staying-on favourite Lunar Deity by half a length.
De Bromhead said: "I'm delighted with that, she really toughed it out and Rachael was brilliant on her. That's her gig, she stays well, jumps well and I'd say the softer the better for her.
"The plan was always to come here and then head on to Limerick (13 March) for the mares' novice there over two-miles-six (Grade Three Shannon Spray Mares Novice Hurdle)."
