THE NEW ONE cemented his position as a strong Champion Hurdle contender with a crisp performance in the inaugural running of the Betfair Price Rush Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday.

An unlucky third at the Festival last season, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained six-year-old maintained his unbeaten start to the new campaign by easily taking this valuable prize over two miles.

The race sparked into life approaching the final flight, when the 1-3 favourite joined Zamdy Man at the front and brushed him aside on the run-in.

Naunton-based Sam Twiston-Davies said: "It was very good. He probably wouldn't want the ground as soft as it is, but his jumping was very good.

"You couldn't get a much bigger thrill than with a horse like this.

"Hopefully he didn't have too hard a race. A bit better ground, the world's his oyster."

The winning trainer said: "That was all he could do, to win pretty much on the bridle like that.

"It's hard to watch when they are as short in the betting as that, it's more a relief than anything.

"You've got to admire him, he jumped super.

"Everything went right and now the next stop it's Cheltenham (for the International).

"He'll be entered for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, too, but he'd only run there if he wins as easy as today.

"He's still only a six-year-old so his best years are ahead of him.

"He was still as big as a bull – he takes a lot of work at home to get him fit. Bring on the others, now."