Carl Llewellyn pushed the horse ahead in the back straight to make use of his stamina, and although Contraband stuck around and disputed the lead at some points, Fundamentalist pulled clear two fences from home to score by eight lengths.

The winner was sent off 2-1 second favourite behind My Will, who travelled well in third under Ruby Walsh, but a mistake at the second-last put paid to his chances.

Bookmakers looking to tempt punters into backing Fundamentalist to make a successful return trip toCheltenham at next year’s Festival were left puzzling out which race to quote him for as Twiston-Davies claimed that nothing had been ruled out.

It was a far cry from Bindaree’s 2002 Grand National success, the day on which Twiston-Davies, disillusioned despite having just won the world’s most famous jumps race, announced his intention to quit the game altogether.

Two and a half years on he has a stable packed with talent and, although still shying from the spotlight, he has learnt how to enjoy success again.

“Perhaps I should not mention him in the same breath as Desert Orchid but he did that sort of thing, winning over two miles and three miles, and it would be great to think Fundamentalist could be even half as good,” he said.

“He’s never been off the bridle in any of his races yet and this was just his fifth race under Rules.

“He is a very delicate horse and if there are any bugs going around then he will catch them. He got a travel sickness thing coming back from Perth and was feeling pretty sorry for himself for a few days, but I knew he has got over that.

“The thing is that this really poses more questions than it gives us answers.

“It would be lovely to think that he might be a Gold Cup horse one day, maybe even this season. If not how about a Champion Chase? Either would do me.

“I don’t know where we will end up. It could be the SunAlliance or the Arkle or even the new two-and-a-half-mile race. I just don’t know.

“If he’d disappointed today then we were thinking of going back over hurdles for the Fighting Fifth, but I don’t think we’ll be doing that now, although at the start of the season we had been considering going for the Champion Hurdle, but the owners wanted to go chasing.

“We could come back for the next meeting here but I don’t know what distance the novice chase is, or we could go to Kempton for the Christmas meeting. Any top race will be under consideration now.

“He does jump the tiniest bit to his left, which might be a concern for Kempton, so I’d need to ask Carl.”

On cue, the winning rider arrived to add his contribution.

“You wouldn’t rule out going right-handed altogether, but he did just pop a bit left a couple of times so if it was a real toss-up I’d favour left over right,” said Llewellyn.

“He won in a canter at Perth and you had to worry about the shorter trip and the better standard of opposition, but I think he has answered that now.

“He just enjoyed himself today. He’s got to improve to be a real champion, but then he has the scope to do so.

“The best horse I’ve ridden was probably Martha’s Son. Perhaps this fellow will prove as good. I hope so.”

Fundamentalist is a 5-1 chance for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase with Paddy Power, but only 3-1 with Coral, who offer 16-1 about him winning the totesport Gold Cup – the same price as the sponsors.

David Johnson, the owner of runner-up Contraband, joined in the praise for the winner.

“He is clearly a machine,” he said. “You aren’t usually pleased with second when you come to win a race, but I am pleased with that.”

Contraband’s trainer Martin Pipe had already equalled his previous best tally of winners (seven) at the Open meeting when Team Tassel got up on the line to deny Billyvoddan in the Paddypower Casino Handicap Hurdle.

Having lost ground going down the hill, Timmy Murphy’s mount looked to have plenty to do approaching the second-last flight in the two-mile-five-furlong affair.

But with Murphy riding at his most determined, the 7-2 favourite gradually got back into the race and reeled in the leader in the final stride to win by a short head.

“That is only his second proper race and he was still a bit green,” said Pipe. “It’s great to win for Jean Broadhurst (Team Tassel’s part owner), who has been very poorly.

“I have just spoken to her and she watched the race on television and is delighted, so let’s hope it can be a great tonic.

“It’s great to get seven again, but I didn’t think we were going to do it when I saw him drop back there on the home turn.”

The stewards took a dim view of Murphy’s ride and banned him for two days (November 25 to 26) for using his whip with excessive force and frequency.

Pipe and his jockey were fancied to complete a double in the Club 16-24 Handicap Chase with Mark Equal, but the favourite ran disappointingly, leaving the door open for 50-1 chance Davoski to cause the turn-up of the meeting.

“They sacked me as a doctor – perhaps they’ll take me back as a trainer,” said Philip Pritchard after ending a 20-year-wait to saddle a winner at the track.

“I bought him for 7,000 guineas, wich is the most I have ever spent on a horse by a long way, but I was beginning to think I had made a big mistake when he completely bottled it on his last two runs.

“We sat down and looked into his past and decided to try and get Jimmy McCarthy to ride him, as he had always got on well with him.

“Davoski needs kidding along, but Jimmy has a habit of talking most people into doing what he wants, and he rode a brilliant race.”

Lightly-raced Brewster came good in the opening Jets Griffins Richard Davis Awards Novices’ Hurdle to land a popular success.

Owner John Poynton hired a box and brought a large party of friends to the races, and they were treated to seeing his horse land his first victory for two and a half years.

The Ian Williams-trained gelding was always travelling nicely for David Dennis and battled on gamely up the hill to hold the challenge of fellow 7-2 co-favourite Monte Vista by two and a half lengths.

“It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if he went chasing now, being by Roselier,” said Williams. “He’s been schooling well over fences.”

The final race of the meeting – which attracted record crowds on all three days – was the Festival Of Food Bumper.

A most informative-looking contest on paper was won in good fashion by Manners, a Jonjo O’Neill-trained and Michael Tabor-owned 7-2 chance who was originally touted for last year’s Festival Bumper only to be ruled out of the race at a late stage.

The winner of his only previous start more than a year ago, Tony McCoy’s mount cruised into the lead over a furlong out but pricked his ears and looked all at sea when asked to quicken up.

However, the fact that Manners still managed to pull clear to defeat Bob Bob Bobbin by six lengths speaks volumes about how impressive his performance was.

“We can dream, can’t we?” said O’Neill’s wife Jacqui. “That will give us and Mr Tabor something to look forward to through the winter.”