DEATH Duty went a long way to cementing his position as the country’s pre-eminent staying novice hurdler with a display of some quality in the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle and on a day when Gordon Elliott ran riot with a four-timer.

Now unbeaten in three starts over timber, Death Duty has more than earned a shot at the big time early next month with a comprehensive success in what looked a cracking edition of this two and a half-mile contest.