Osana cut out much of the running, but was being ridden along on the turn for home, while Psycho and Davy Russell loomed up menacingly.

Brought over to the stands side rail, Tony Martin’s 2-1 chance quickly had the race in safe-keeping, and only had to be kept up to his work at the finish to secure a four-and-a-half-length verdict.

Martin said: ``He's done it well and deserved that.

“He jumped well, particularly at those fences before the straight, and that really kept him in the race.

“Davy still had a bit of horse at the finish.

“He has plenty of options at Christmas and we’ll decide in a few weeks as to where he’ll run.

“He is in the Lexus and if it cut up into a small field that could be an option.

“He’s also in the Dial-A-Bet over two miles – he has plenty of entries.”

Edward O'Grady's Alaivan proved much too good for his rivals in the Fishery Lane Hurdle.

The 8-11 favourite was third in last season’s Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and had been off the track since being pulled up in France in May.

Always well to the fore for Andrew McNamara, the four-year-old had only Son Amix for company in the home straight and he was always doing enough to hold off him off by three lengths.