Mephisto (left) - won at Kelso.

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Mephisto just got the better of his market rival Faasel in an exciting finish to give County Durham trainer Howard Johnson his fifth success in the totesport Premier Kelso Hurdle at the Borders track on Saturday.

The winner was the 4-5 favourite, with his unbeaten opponent sent off at 6-4, and as the betting suggested they had the Grade Two contest to themselves from the penultimate flight, where Mephisto had the call.

Tony Dobbin moved Faasel up to challenge approaching the last and once on the long run-in he looked to have taken Mephisto's measure.

But Warren Marston got to work on the favourite and he responded gamely to get back up and land the spoils by a head with the third, the early leader Habitual Dancer, fully 25 lengths away.

Mephisto was immediately given a quote of 12-1 for the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle, but the Cheltenham Festival will not be on his agenda.

Owner Graham Wylie said: "He'll go to Aintree for the two-and-a-half-miler (Aintree Mersey Hurdle), not to Cheltenham for the SunAlliance.

"When he ran at Cheltenham first time we didn't think the undulations suited him.

"We've got No Refuge or Bewleys Berry for the SunAlliance. Howard's going to see what they are like over the next few days and then decide at the end of the week."

Johnson's previous winners of the Premier Hurdle were Morceli, Direct Route, Wills Telmar and Covent Garden.

The runner-up is, however, on course for the Festival, with trainer Nicky Richards nominating the JCB Triumph Hurdle as Faasel's target, when he could wear blinkers.

He said: "He hit the front but the winner is a very brave horse. I think we'll put a pair of blinkers on Faasel next time.

"He has a great cruising speed, but he wants those blinkers on to sharpen him up at the business end.

"His previous trainer Kevin Prendergast always said save them for the big day and you'll find a different horse.

"But today was a bit of a fact-finding mission after winning those little races - this is a different game.

"I think we went half a length up, but the winner has come and done us.

"I still think he'll run a very good race in the Triumph. He's well up to the hurly-burly and he's tough."

Faasel is 14-1 from 20-1 with Paddy Power for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, while William Hill go the same price from 16-1 and vc bet have the son of Unfuwain on 16-1 for the juvenile championship.