Graham Lee had sent Inglis Drever (8-13) past Crystal d’Ainay on the run to the second-last, while Tony McCoy elected to launch Baracouda’s challenge to the left of the former.

However, despite getting to within a length at one point, Baracouda was readily held in the final 100 yards and went down by a length and a quarter, with Crystal d’Ainay three lengths further back in third.

The performance of the Howard Johnson-trained winner impressed all the main firms, with Coral cutting him from 7-4 into 11-8 for a repeat success in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle next March. The sponsors and Paddy Power are best-priced at 2-1.

Owner Graham Wylie said: “He must be a tough customer because Graham said he wasn’t travelling as well as usual but when he gave him a quick slap he just took off again.”

Inglis Drever is unlikely to run before the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on January 28, while Baracouda is set to meet another Wylie-owned horse, No Refuge, in the Long Walk Hurdle at Windsor on December 17.

Wylie added: “Today’s race lived up to all our expectations and I’m glad we prevailed but you won’t see my fellow again until into the New Year. The main thing is to get him fit and well to the Festival”.

Of the runner-up, owner JP McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry said: “He’s run a stormer but was beaten by a younger horse. Baracouda came to him but the winner pulled out a bit more. We are delighted and will stick to our original plan of going to Windsor next.”

Owner Trevor Hemmings, successful in the feature Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup with Trabolgan, was also on the mark courtesy of Town Crier in the UK Hygiene Handicap Chase.

The 16-1 chance travelled beautifully for Dominic Elsworth before scoring by two and a half lengths from Made In Japan.

His trainer Sue Smith was represented by her husband Harvey, who is now mindful of the fact that the winner will get a hike in the ratings.

He said: “This fellow has come down 2lb in three outings but I imagine will be back to square one after this. It’s a shame because you can lose a couple of years with a horse when he’s been hit by the handicapper and it could be a long time before he is on a winning mark again.

Paul Nicholls continued his good form from the first day of the meeting to land a double in the first two races with Natal and Taranis, both ridden by Ruby Walsh.

Interestingly, the pair were purchased out of the same race at Auteuil but Taranis (7-2) had given his trainer every indication of being a horse who wanted fences straight away.

He was cruising in the lead when making his only mistake at the last in the Sodexho Prestige Novices’ Handicap, but Walsh soon had him back on an even keel and the combination stormed nine lengths clear of the gambled-on Escompteur.

Natal (5-2) was similarly impressive in the cantorspreadfair.com Novices’ Hurdle.

In control halfway up the straight, he went right away from Fandani and Odiham and looks set for a bountiful season in the novice division.

Jonjo O’Neill was on the mark in the ladbrokes.com Handicap Chase with 7-1 chance Bold Bishop.

Having been difficult to win with, the eight-year-old seems to have turned the corner and this three-quarters of a length triumph over Europa was following up a recent success at Cheltenham.

O’Neil said: “Tony (McCoy) gave him a good old ride and everything went right. He has all the ability when he gets it together.”

The trainer added that Iris’s gift was a little stiff but otherwise none the worse for his Friday defeat and would continue along the novice chase route for the remainder of the season.