Faugheen the former Champion Hurdle winner has made it two from two over the larger obstacles when running out an impressive 10 length winner of Grade 1 Matchbook Betting Exchange Novices Chase at Limerick.
It looked to be a two-horse race as Faugheen and Samcro rounded the home-bend a good 15 lengths clear of the remainder of the field.
The eleven pulled clear approaching the final fence and kept on well in the closing stages for a comfortable victory over the Gordon Elliott trained Samcro.
Fellow Irish pointer Castlebrook finished a further 22 lengths behind in third.
The eleven-year-old was reunited with jockey Patrick Mullins who was aboard the son of Germany when he won his bumper at Punchestown in 2013.
The Susannah Ricci owned gelding has now won a total of 16 races from 24 outings.
The gelding started his career with Andy Slattery and was an impressive winner of the his point-to-point maiden at Ballysteen before joining the Willie Mullins stable.
Winning rider Patrick Mullins told RacingTV: "To go toe-to-toe with Samcro over the last six furlongs was very good. He did what he always does, in that he gallops and jumps.
"It is special to win a Grade One over fences with an 11-year-old as very few horses attempt it, but he hasn't much mileage on the clock and to me it is about mileage rather than age.
"He is well up to it as he is fresh and well, more so than last season.
"Three-mile hurdling is just very hard on horses. Chasing is much easier on him and he is enjoying himself. I've not had chance to talk to Patrick yet, but they seemed to get on like a house on fire."
He added: "We are delighted to get as far as we have with him. We will look forward to the Dublin Racing Festival now, where I'd imagine he will go for the two-mile-five novice chase.
"That will be the race for him and we will just keep it simple."
%uD83D%uDC4F%uD83C%uDFFB Oh it didn't disappoint!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 26, 2019
%uD83C%uDFC6 The Machine is in working order alright
%u2B50%uFE0F Superlatives fail to do Faugheen justice! At the age of 11, he records an 11th G1 victory & his first over fences, getting the better of Samcro in a thrilling race @LimerickRaces
%uD83C%uDFC7 WHAT. A. HORSE. pic.twitter.com/gI8jJMaIUV
