Hercule Du Seuil highlighted himself as a novice hurdler to note with a game success in the Gibney’s For Auction Novice Hurdle at Navan.

Willie Mullins’ five-year-old had opened his account over timber when making all for a 16-length victory at Tipperary last month, but had to prove there was substance to go with the style of that success when sent off the 11-10 favourite for this Grade Three contest.

Identical tactics were employed once again as Mark Walsh allowed his mount to stride on and lead the field of five along, with the Gordon Elliott pair of Imagine and Three Card Brag tracking the pace behind.

It was Imagine who made the move to join Hercule Du Seuil as the race began to develop at the third-last flight, but Walsh remained motionless and had regained the advantage before the last.

Despite getting in tight when holding a slight lead at the final obstacle, the €185,000 purchase showed a willing attitude up the run-in as he was kept up to his work to hold off the staying-on Elliott pair by three-quarters of a length and half a length.

“We had him out early, he likes nicer ground. It dried up nicely here during the week when it stopped raining,” said Mullins.

“He’s a front-runner but a real good jumper. Watching him throughout the race, turning for home when they were all gathering up behind him, I said at least Mark has a length and a half in the bag.

“He jumped the third-last and second-last brilliantly and missed the last and I thought it was over as Imagine was coming and staying on, and I would say Gordon’s horses are probably a little fitter than mine at the moment. But I was delighted the way our fellow stuck his head out and battled away to the line. I think he will improve from that.

“He does (look like a chaser in the future), he could very possibly be an Arkle horse down the line. I’d say that’s where we might go next season.

“He is (very exuberant in his work), you don’t have to tell him to go anywhere – he does it all himself. Mark said he was delighted. At the top of the hill, he wasn’t so sure that he could do that. He was actually surprised how much he pulled out. To me that shows that he has a lot more under the bonnet.”