Celestial Halo, hero of the Triumph Hurdle, made the running in this slightly extended two-mile test but as they approached two out Binocular, the 11-8 favourite, was not far behind and travelling ominously well.

Tony McCoy consented to give him his head at the last and full of running he stretched away to score by seven lengths, with Celestial Halo holding on for second, 13 lengths ahead of Harper Valley.

There was no disguising Henderson’s delight at the success and he said: “That was good and I think like Tony says he has probably improved from Cheltenham.

“But life is all about learning and I think we have learned something from Cheltenham – he is entered at Punchestown but I will have to speak to JP and see where he wants to go.”

The John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase proved a thriller over the National fences and in a stirring battle from the last, Christy Beamish, partnered by amateur of the moment Josh Guerriero, just got the better of the gallant Katarino, who was bidding for a third a success in the race.

Katarino had beaten Christy Beamish into second place in the 2006 renewal and Paul Jones, who trains the latter at his point-to-point yard, said of the 6-1 second-favourite: “Robert Waley-Cohen (who owns and trains Katarino) deserves a medal to bring his horse here and nearly beat us when we were at the top of our game and he had not run for a year.”

Paul Nicholls’ decision to give Cheltenham a miss with Elusive Dream paid off when he ran out a game winner of the Citroen C5 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle in the hands of Ruby Walsh.

Walsh was suspended for one day (April 17) for using his whip with excessive frequency.

Nicholls said: “We left Cheltenham off with the idea of coming here and it has worked out nicely, this track suits him much better (than Cheltenham).

“He will not run here on Saturday, but he is in at Punchestown so we will have to see, he did it very well.”

Elusive Dream (7-2) carries the colours of Denman’s part-owner Harry Findlay, who suggested the World Hurdle could be a target next year.

Stan provided owner Paul Beck with his biggest success when coming out best under promising conditional Aidan Coleman in the Silver Cross Prams Red Rum Handicap Chase.

The 25-1 winner is trained by Venetia Williams for Beck, who said: “I have a box here tomorrow and Saturday, but just I drove up today so we won’t be able to celebrate as I have to go back!

“I have always had the horse and he had won three for me before today, but he had not won for nearly three years so I did not know what to expect really.”

Coleman has his first Aintree Grand National ride on Williams’ Mon Mome on Saturday and he said: “I only heard that I would be riding the horse the other morning and I am very pleased because this is my first season and I started the year very inexperienced.

“It is unbelievable and I am very grateful to Venetia – I was thinking I might get nervous, but this win today has helped settle me.”

Denis O’Regan was suspended for two days (April 17,18) for using his whip with excessive force on fourth-placed Lennon.

Sue Smith stunned punters when Mister McGoldrick popped up at 66-1 at the Cheltenham Festival and she pulled off another big-priced shock when 50-1 chance Auroras Encore landed the Listed John Smith’s Handicap Hurdle in the hands of conditional Tjade Collier.

Smith’s husband Harvey had been berating the handicapper over Auroras Encore’s rating before racing, and the former said of the winner, who had fallen on his last two appearances: “He has just been unlucky, he has just been a bit novicey, but we have always thought he was a very nice little horse and he has proved it.

“He will be a nice little chaser as he has plenty of speed about him.”