Supplemented by his owner Barry Connell at a cost of €7,500 for the Grade 1 Royal Bond Hurdle, the son of Oscar displayed a fine attitude when he captured that contest last December and he seemed to improve again when he saw off his rivals in dreadful conditions in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The six-year-old looks a real chaser and Fenton said: “He really thrived after the Royal Bond and afterwards you would hardly know that he had a race. It was an easy decision to run him at Christmas and fair play to Danny, he has been very good on him and he is not an easy horse to ride.”