Richard Johnson allowed the recent Hereford winner to stride on early in the race and really poured on the pressure two flights out, with the pair quickening away for a resounding success.

VC Bet promoted the former Sir Mark Prescott inmate to the head of their Triumph market at 16-1, while William Hill went 20-1 from 33, with connections trying for consecutive wins in the race following Detroit City’s victory in March.

Hobbs’ wife Sarah said: “Good old Sir Mark Prescott! He’s done it again!

“He jumps, stays and has a wonderful attitude. Richard is very excited and we think he could be a Triumph Hurdle horse.

“The ground doesn’t matter to him, although he wouldn’t want it bottomless.”

Hobbs and Johnson had been on the mark earlier in the afternoon as Templer (6-1) moved out of novice company to take the Bathwick Tyres Yeovil Handicap Hurdle by a length from 5-2 favourite Magical Legend.

Mrs Hobbs added: “He has had quite a few quirks but is growing up and going the right way now.

“We will probably step him up to two and a half miles next time.”

Rosses Point proved another easy victor for Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup-winning trainer Evan Williams and jockey Paul Moloney when landing the Weatherbys Bank Silver Buck Handicap Chase.

Despite some sketchy jumps down the back straight, the 6-4 favourite arrived full of running turning for home and was not extended in the slightest to beat Nirvana Swing by two and a half lengths.

Williams said: “He is still very novicey and was pretty bad down the back.

“He can’t jump like that if he steps up in class but he has won there off a feather-weight and has done it nicely in the end.

“He is tough and hard, so a war of a race might help him and we will keep mixing hurdling and chasing with him.”

Paul O’Neill made his final ride before being sidelined by a 16-day ban imposed by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority count when getting Flying Enterprise home in the Guinness Beginners’ Chase.

O’Neill will be out of action between December 1 and 16 after failing to pull up on a lame horse earlier this month, but he signed off with a winner in the two-mile-five-furlong race.

The Venetia Williams-trained 5-6 favourite tussled with Captain Windsor all the way around and, despite both horses making mistakes at the last, O’Neill’s mount found more on the run to the line and collected by five lengths.

Williams said: “It is great for him to win as he ran well a couple of times without getting his head in front, although I am glad I didn’t see him jump the last!

“He is versatile regarding trip and the stable has really found form in the last couple of weeks.”

Liam Heard warmed up for his ride in the William Hill Tingle Creek Chase with victory aboard Original Fly in the Andrew Hopkins Concrete Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.

The jockey will partner Hoo La Baloo for Paul Nicholls in Saturday’s Grade One feature and struck for the champion trainer aboard the easy-to-back 4-1 shot.

After joining the main protagonists three fences from home, Original Fly had a fight on his hands to secure first place, but got the better of Baron Blitzkrieg by a neck, with Cassia Heights well beaten in third.

Nicholls said: “Liam is riding well and is getting stronger all of the time.

“It was the horse’s first time over this trip (two miles and five furlongs) and it suited him well.”

Thenford Star made a winning start to her career with Alan King when landing a touch in the Bathwick Tyres Taunton “National Hunt” Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

The 9-4 favourite, who is owned by a syndicate made up of Timeform employees and friends, was always travelling well for Robert Thornton and scampered clear up the run-in to score by three lengths and 10 lengths from Our Samson and Not For Diamonds.

King said: “We got her from the Doncaster Sales in May and she has been working better than her handicap mark would suggest.”