Fury Road made every yard a winning one to make a successful season debut in Punchestown's Unibet 1000th Race Celebration Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott's classy performer was a star novice last term finishing fourth in the big one at Leopardstown at February and third to Monkfish in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Making his first public appearance since that dramatic race in which just a neck split the first three home, Fury Road set out to make all under Jack Kennedy and had built an eight-length lead by the time he came to the third flight.
The odds-on 4/11 favourite continued to jump well throughout and while Baptism Of Fire and Dewcup closed the deficit coming to the second last, Fury Road kept pouring it on turning into the straight and a measured leap at the last effectively sealed victory.
Dewcup ran on well to be second, beaten three and a half lengths, with Baptism Of Fire - in the same Gigginstown House Stud silks as the winner - back in third.
"He was only dossing out in front and got in under the last a little bit. He’ll come on for that and I’m happy with him," reported Kennedy.
“I was only hacking around the whole way and he’ll be better going a stronger gallop and a bit further.”
Elliott, who claimed a Grade 2 double on the day, said: “He’s in the Hattons Grace but that will come quick enough and he’ll probably go for the three miles Grade 1 at Christmas."
Sky Bet, Paddy Power and Betfair make Fury Road 12/1 (from 16s) for the Stayers' Hurdle back at Cheltenham in March and the former's Head Of Sports PR, Michael Shinners, said: "After electing to stay over hurdles it was always going to be interesting to see how Fury Road performed on his seasonal debut. He jumped well and could well be an interesting horse for the stayers hurdle where we now go 12/1 from 16/1."