The Venetia Williams-trained seven year old defied a 16lb rise in the weights for his last time out success at Kempton Park to make his return to Grade Two company a triumphant one.

Victory was never in doubt for the 11-5 favourite, who appeared to be in total control of the 3m 1 1/2f prize from an early stage on his first start with Tom Scudamore in the saddle.

Still travelling strongly entering the home straight for the final time the Rich Ricci-owned gelding continued to draw further clear of his rivals before passing the post 16 lengths ahead of runner-up Potters Legend.

Scudamore said: “That was a hell of a thrill. He was fabulous and it was a pleasure to ride him today. I’ll leave the rest up to Venetia and Rich Ricci. In this ground, to be able to do that off 156, and beat them 16 lengths is very impressive.

“He has handled it today and it was a hell of a thrill. He is still a novice. He has jumped and taken me all the way down the back straight and I’m getting there sooner than I would have liked but he was fabulous today.

“It was hard not to be taken by that performance. It was a great thrill. He has jumped from fence to fence and had them cooked at the top of the straight. To be able to do that off that kind of mark, and he has handled the ground very well, it was a very taking performance.”

Although Royal Pagaille holds entries at the Cheltenham Festival in the Gold Cup, Festival Novices’ Chase and National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Novices’ Chase, the winning rider was not drawn on which route to take.

He added: “I will leave it entirely up to them and I was on because Charlie (Deutsch) was at Ascot today. Whatever they go for, the Festival Novices’ Chase, Gold Cup or National Hunt Chase, it was a very taking performance and the world is almost certainly his oyster.

“He is a second season novice but you don’t get too many horses that win a handicap by 16 lengths off 157 and that says it all. He is very comparable, but again I’ve ridden lots of nice novices and he is bang up there with the likes of the other ones. It’s hard to compare them but on today’s performance he is certainly one of the better ones.”