Inothewayurthinkin produced a Cheltenham Festival repeat to announce himself as a staying chaser of the highest order with victory in the Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree.
Gavin Cromwell's six-year-old made a mockery of his rating when storming to an emphatic victory in the Kim Muir last month and having again been ridden with real patience he stormed home to land his first Grade One success.
With Broadway Boy and Chianti Classico putting on an exhibition of jumping on the front end, Mark Walsh was able to bide his time on the 6-4 favourite before finishing with a real flourish to lead home a JP McManus-owned one-two, with Iroko back in second.
Cromwell said: "His jumping definitely left a bit to be desired, but he clearly has a big engine. He looked to have done plenty wrong, but still won. Clearly he stays well, so we're delighted with the result."
Mystical Power fended off the renewed challenge of Firefox to win the TrustATrader Top Novices' Hurdle at the Merseyside venue.
Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Mark Walsh, Mystical Power has long carried plenty of expectation as a son of Galileo out of Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power.
He came close to emulating his dam as a Festival winner when finishing second in last month's Supreme and finally graduated to Grade One glory here.
Walsh was happy to settle in the pack through the early stages as Lookaway raced to the fore, but with three to jump, Mystical Power (11-10 favourite) was clearly travelling best of all.
He took it up before jumping the last from Firefox and while that rival battled back gamely on the run to the line, Mystical Power was half a length too good
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