Paddy Brennan rose Ollie Magern to a commanding win

Setting a furious pace from the outset, the 11-4 shot found an extra gear from the second-last fence at Wetherby, just as the pack was closing in.

The nine-year-old, ridden by Paddy Brennan and trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, galloped on strongly to beat 15-8 favourite State Of Play by a length and three-quarters.

Monkerhostin was another two lengths back in third.

Twiston-Davies was confident in Ollie Magern's chances beforehand and delighted with the way he ran.

If we can keep him sound we will have to have a look at the big race at Haydock Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies

"He has never been better and I pray he is not aching or whatever tomorrow. He has never had a tendon problem in his life but has had bone pain and fractures.

"Two years ago before Cheltenham, when I think he would have won the SunAlliance Novice Chase, he fractured a bone behind and that was pinned.

"After his good run in the Haydock race (Betfair Chase) last year that started slipping and moving about, but hopefully that is behind him.

"He is a little superstar and I wish there were more like him. He is tiny but hurls himself over those fences and there is no doubt he will have jumped better than any other horse today.

"If we can keep him right he can do anything, but it's so difficult to keep him right.

"If we can keep him sound we will have to have a look at the big race at Haydock. He ran a superb race there last year."