Imperial Commander showed great stamina to claim his first win of the season in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
Paddy Brennan guided the 13-2 shot, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, to the front at the halfway mark and the seven-year-old held on to romp home.
Barbers Shop tried to challenge but could not close him down and settled for second with Private Be third.
Favourite Silverburn, who started at 11-4, pitched over the penultimate fence and finished down the field.
"That was a brilliant performance," said Brennan. "He gave me some feel. I haven't ridden a horse like this in my life. It was very, very good."
Imperial Commander is now a general 7-1 second favourite for the Hennessy Gold Cup.
Ashley Brook and Turko jumped into the lead over the first fence before Yes Sir came through to set the pace for the 19 runners.
"He's got plenty of class and that was only his fourth run over fences"Yes Sir remained in front until Brennan nudged Imperial Commander ahead after the seventh and he stayed on well to win by two-and-three-quarter lengths.
Private Be, who made a bad mistake at the fifth, did well to recover and finish an 11-length third, with Il Duce fourth.
Imperial Commander was making his first start in 337 days and Twiston-Davies was delighted to see him claim the first major handicap race of the jumps season.
606: DEBATEHe said: "That was the plan and it's lovely when a plan works out.
"His season last year was curtailed by growing pains and he would have possibly won a SunAlliance - but we made this the plan instead.
"He jumps, gallops and does everything. He's got plenty of class and that was only his fourth run over fences."
Paddy Power Gold Cup Cheltenham 2m 4f 100yds
1 Imperial Commander (P J Brennan) 13-2
2 Barbers Shop (B J Geraghty) 5-1
3 Private Be (R Johnson) 25-1
4 Il Duce (W Hutchinson) 40-1
19 ran. Dist: 2¾, 11, 4
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