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Harchibald staked his claim for championship honours with a smooth success under a vintage Paul Carberry ride in the Pertemps 'Fighting Fifth' Hurdle at Newcastle.

The £75,000 feature - elevated to Grade One status for the first time - has gone in the past to the likes of Night Nurse, Sea Pigeon, Gaye Brief, Beech Road and Kribensis, and Harchibald looked a worthy winner as he cruised home without Carberry having to move a muscle.

William Hill were clearly impressed with the Noel Meade-trained gelding's performance and promoted him to 4-1 favourite from 10-1 for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next March.

VC Bet go 6-1 from 16-1, while Paddy Power have the five-year-old on 7-1.

Teme Valley set a furious early pace on the good ground but he only lasted half a mile. It was Perouse who took over, chased by Inglis Drever, Royal Shakespeare and Harchibald, who was hard on the bridle, with Intersky Falcon struggling to keep in touch.

Graham Lee sent Inglis Drever to the front three out, chased by Royal Shakespeare and Harchibald.

Royal Shakespeare hit the penultimate flight hard and it was left to Inglis Drever to try to fend off the Irish challenger, but it was all in vain as Carberry sent his mount to the front halfway up the run.

Harchibald (9-4 joint-favourite) went on to score, without being asked a question, by two lengths from Inglis Drever (9-4 joint-favourite), with Royal Shakespeare (12-1) recovering from his error to finish the same distance back in third.

After dismounting, Carberry was full of praise for the winner.

He said: "He won very well and he jumped super. I could have dropped him on the line - the more you hold on to him the better he is.

"He's a lot stronger than he was last year and I don't think I've ridden anything better over hurdles."

Reflecting on the race, Carberry continued: "He's got such a high cruising speed and I got him relaxed when they went very quick, but they stopped in front of me - you haven't to be in front too soon on him."

And of his Champion Hurdle chances, Carberry added: "The only thing that would worry me at Cheltenham would be the hill."

Harchibald had been strongly fancied for the County Hurdle at last season's Cheltenham Festival but faded to finish fifth after leading two out.

But he returned to form by denting the reputations of Back In Front and Macs Joy when winning in similar fashion in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown 13 days ago.

Gillian O'Brien, Meade's partner and assistant, joked: "I think Noel might just have forgiven Paul for the County Hurdle (in front too soon). Just about forgiven him, not 100 per cent, but we are getting there.

"Harchibald came out of his last race very well and he worked well on Tuesday morning, so we decided to come here and let him take his chance.

"He didn't get an awful lot of credit in Punchestown - but he will now!"

Harchibald looks likely to stay nearer home for his next race.

"I just rang Noel and asked him where Harchibald would run next and he said probably Christmas in Leopardstown (December Festival Hurdle)," she added.

Howard Johnson was not disappointed with Inglis Drever's first run of the season after the five-year-old had tried to draw the sting out of Harchibald by kicking for home in the straight.

He said: "Our horse needs more give in the ground, but that was Mr Carberry at his best - he knew what we were up to."

Steve Gollings was over the moon with Royal Shakespeare's effort and he is looking forward to running the promising gelding again.

"That mistake cost him second place - it took a lot out of him," the Lincolnshire-based trainer said.

"This race was part of his agenda leading to Cheltenham in March. He's in the Bula and he's in at Leopardstown on December 29, but I don't know whether we'll go there. We'll just take a look at him.

"I think that was a real good run and he'll come on loads for it."

Hills go 16-1 and 25-1 respectively about Inglis Drever and Royal Shakespeare for the Champion Hurdle.