Barry Geraghty partnered the eight-year-old, but it was Ruby Walsh who gave Fahy some valuable advice when he rode Purple Shuffle at Punchestown last time. Fahy explained: "Ruby said if he stayed, he'd be a class horse.

He was very excited about the horse and he's going to improve. He showed good form all last year and we always felt he was going to make a chaser."

The trainer added: "He was trained the old-fashioned way for this race, and got his reward today, beating good horses fair and square. We'll have to see where we go from here."

Geraghty initiated a double with success on the Joe Crowley-trained Piltown in the Event Centre 3-Y-O Hurdle.

His mount was all out at the finish to justify favouritism by a length from Sophist, and his trainer said afterwards: "He's going for a break now and will be back in the spring around April time. The ground was a little bit too heavy for him, but he handled it reasonably well."

Amateur Katie Walsh rode her first winner over the banks course when making virtually all the running on her father Ted's horse Never Compromise to land the Event Power Risk Of Thunder Chase by half a length.

The successful trainer remarked: "He'll probably run in the cross-country race at Cheltenham in December."