Favourite Up And Go cut out much of the running, but he dropped away from the home turn, leaving Utopie Des Bordes and Irish raider Seefood disputing the lead.

However, Ubak tracked that pair into the straight under the trainer's son, Jamie, and once asked to go about his business, the response was hugely impressive.

Ubak quickly put daylight between himself and his rivals, hopped over the last and continued to extend his lead all he way to the line, passing the post with 16 lengths in hand.

Utopie Des Bordes beat Seefood to the runner-up spot, with Up And Go and Dodging Bullets both disappointing.

Jamie Moore said: "I just got done for toe a bit coming down the hill at Cheltenham, but he had decent form if you look back with My Tent Or Yours and some others.

"He's been kept up under wraps a bit this season, but he's a nice horse and won very well."

Moore senior said: "This was never going to be the calibre of the Cheltenham race, and I only declared because there was eight in it.

"The owner was keen to come and that's why we are here.

"That won't have done his handicap mark much good, but it doesn't matter as he's a three-mile chaser in the making."

The winning trainer raised the possibility of a trip to France for his charge.

He said: "I thought he'd be placed, as he wasn't far behind My Tent Or Yours and Taquin Du Seuil at Ascot in November, but then he got an infection in his hock.

"It was always a bit of a rush to get to Cheltenham.

"He might go to Punchestown, but I'd have thought he would go to Auteuil for one of the big races there."

Nicky Henderson said of Utopie Des Bordes: "She has run a smashing race. She probably gets three miles, but we thought the three-mile race looked tougher.

"It won't be easy next year as she is not very big, so we are half-thinking of running her again with her novice status, or taking her back to France."

Dessie Hughes said of Seefood: "We are very pleased as he hadn't liked the soft ground at home (in Ireland), and that was much more like it.

"If he gets good ground at Punchestown we will go there, as we know what he wants now."

Bryan Cooper's incredible season continued as he guided Special Tiara to victory in the John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase.

One of the rising stars of the National Hunt weighing room, Cooper rode three winners at last month's Cheltenham Festival and enjoyed his first Aintree winner aboard First Lieutenant in Thursday's Betfred Bowl.

With Grand Annual winner Alderwood, Arkle runner-up Baily Green and the ever-popular Overturn in the field, it was no surprise to see Henry de Bromhead's Special Tiara sent off a largely unconsidered 28-1 shot for this Grade One event.

Special Tiara disputed the lead with Overturn for much of the two-mile journey, but appeared to have been seen off when Overturn quickened into a clear lead off the home bend.

But Overturn began to wander on the run to the final fence and was claimed by Special Tiara on the flat, with De Bromhead's charge getting up by a length and three-quarters.

Alderwood was outpaced before plugging on to finish third, while Baily Green made a serious mistake at the first fence and never fully recovered, eventually pulling up.

Cooper said: "Going to the last I thought I had a bit more horse. He wings fences and I thought if he winged the last I might get there, but Overturn is a real tough horse and when I went past he battled again.

"It's been an unbelievable time for me."

De Bromhead said: "Bryan gave him a super ride.

"He's a bit of a tearaway so we mainly just loose school him at home. His jumping was superb - we thought with good ground and an easy two miles he might have a chance. He only just gets two miles.

"He's a big galloping horse and loves jumping."

De Bromhead added: "We discussed this race in October, when he ran over two and a quarter miles against Baily Green. He's only starting back again now and he will run in the two-mile Grade One at Punchestown."

Donald McCain admitted he was disappointed that Overturn just missed out on a big success over fences.

He said: "We shouldn't be disappointed but we are sick for him. We wanted him to have his big day. It's the same again, he's done everything but (win).

"I know courses like these water for the big days and he sometimes can't get the life out of the ground that he needs, he is a good, fast ground horse. I understand why it's done. It's not a complaint.

"An end-to-end race over two miles suits him. He's not the same horse ridden to get further.

"He's just a little bit short of top class and needs some help with the ground.

"I haven't thought of anything for him yet, I'm devastated. We'll get him home and see.

"I don't think we'll be going to Chester again, but he's still in there (Chester Cup), he's in at Punchestown. We'll get him home and see how he is."

Trainer Tom Mullins will consider the Punchestown Festival for Alderwood.

"We think the track may have been too tight for him and at that level he wants softer ground," he said.

"We'll see about Punchestown. It depends how he is, but he a nine-year-old so he might be able to take it."