Iris's Gift beat Baracouda in the 2004 Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham
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Odds-on favourite Iris's Gift made all the running to win the Blue Square Novices' Chase at Market Rasen.
The 2004 Stayers Hurdle winner, who went off at 1-2 under the guidance of champion jockey Tony McCoy, did all that was asked of him.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained horse made a mistake at the last but was too good for Sweet Diversion, who was giving him 8lb, winning by four lengths.
The gelding remains a 20-1 shot (Paddy Power) for March's Cheltenham Gold Cup.
But O'Neill is refusing to look too far into the future after what was a disappointing 2004-05 season for his yard.
"We will go down the novice route for now, he needs plenty of experience and we will just go steady away with him, we have no plans at the moment," said the trainer.
"He is a lazy old thing, but he is a very nice horse.
"The ground was lovely, they have done a good job, and he can only improve
from that. Let's hope he is sound in the morning."
Blue Square Novices' Chase
1. Iris's Gift (A P McCoy) 1-2 Fav
2. Sweet Diversion (R Walsh) 11-4
3. Worlaby Dale (L Vickers) 66-1
6 ran. Dist: 4, 30
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