Captain Cee Bee cemented his position at the top of the market for the Arkle Chase with an impressive display to justify odds of 4/11 in the BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Novice Chase.

The only moment of worry for supporters of the J P McManus-owned, Mark Walsh-ridden eight-year-old came at the last, when he got in a bit close, but he then sauntered up the run-in to dispose of his main rival, Fosters Cross by thirteen lengths.

Winning trainer, Eddie Harty said: "That was good. In military terms that was the minefield that had to be crossed before the war. He jumped well, he missed the last again but that doesn't worry me as he jumped well up until then.

"He cruised into the lead. Fosters Cross took them along at a good clip but like at Leopardstown he was gone by him in two strides, I was expecting him to come back again but our fellow is just very good, there is not much else you can say.

"I blame myself slightly for what happened at Aintree in 2008 (burst a blood vessel and pulled up). It might have been too soon, a trip back to England three weeks after his Cheltenham win. He was relatively inexperienced and it probably just caught up with him.

"I thought myself at Liverpool that he was better than he was at Cheltenham but just the journey over, journey back, journey over again might just have been too quick.

"I can't see Tony McCoy wanting to get off him, can you, so he'll be in the plate at Cheltenham. If it was good ground at Cheltenham I'd be thrilled because I think he handles that (heavy) and he just gets away with it.

"I wish everyone could see him jumping fences on good ground, I think then you'll really see what he can do. I firmly believe good ground is his ideal."