Operation Houdini dug deep to get back up on the line in the Proudstown Handicap Hurdle at Navan.
The 9/4 favourite had led before the second last, under Niall Madden, but was headed at the final flight by Mythical Prince
He looked to be fighting a losing battle on the run-in but found reserves in the closing stages to put his head back in front on the line.
"Niall felt he struggled in the ground. He doesn't want it that deep," said trainer Davy Fitzgerald.
"The Welsh National is still the plan but if it looked like coming up absolutely bottomless at Chepstow we might look at the Paddy Power at Leopardstown instead."
