Jezki gave Tony McCoy a winner at what is his final Grand National Meeting when landing the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle.
Volnay De Thaix ensured that any stamina limitations of those stepping up in trip to two and a half miles would be tested after setting a good gallop in the first half of the race.
It looked momentarily that the Nicky Henderson-trained runner, together with his stablemate Vaniteux and former Champion Hurdle hero Rock On Ruby, may have slipped the rest of the field down the back straight.
As the race reached the business end the long-time leader paid the price for going hard early on and drifted back as Jezki (3-1) and favourite Arctic Fire moved into contention from the rear to join Rock On Ruby.
With Rock On Ruby seemingly beaten off on the run to the last, an intriguing battle between Jezki and Arctic Fire looked set to commence until the latter wrapped the obstacle to unship Ruby Walsh, hampering Rock On Ruby in the process, and leaving Jezki to come home by an unchallenged 13 lengths.
McCoy said of the Jessica Harrington-trained winner: “The two of us were racing between the second-last and the last and this lad has an inclination to go left, so I wanted to make sure I got the inside on him.
“I thought stamina wouldn’t be a problem, so I thought he’d stay and we don’t know if Arctic Fire would have done.
“He’s won, that’s the main thing. I’d spoken to JP (McManus) and Frank (Berry, racing manager) and we decided Ruby was the one to beat so why complicate it, I was happy to let Ruby ride the race and just track him.
“Whether I’d have won or not I don’t know, but I was in a position to make a good race of it.
“I’m going to miss horses like him, it’s nice he and I have finished on a winning note.
“I think circumstances have conspired against him, he’s been taking on very good horses.”
Harrington said of last year’s Champion Hurdle winner: “It’s great to get him back in the winner’s enclosure.
"He's been running into Hurricane Fly and then Faugheen at Cheltenham, so it's great he's won.
“They’ve all been hard races and as defending champion you have to be ready for the first race of the year.
“We thought we had him spot on at Cheltenham and we were stepping back up in trip today.
“I’ve no idea if he’ll go to Punchestown.”
Walsh gave up his one remaining ride on the card but was not seriously injured.
“I’m fine, it’s just a dead leg, and Arctic Fire is 100 per cent, thank God,” he told Channel 4 Racing.
Harry Fry said of Rock On Ruby: "He's run his usual rock-solid race. He did well to stand up (after Arctic Fire) fell and Noel (Fehily) did well to stay on board.
“We looked like we were being held at the time, but he ran really well and we’re delighted with him.
“He is entered at Punchestown in the three-mile race, so we’ll see how he comes out of this and make our minds up.
“He was sick over Cheltenham, we had to get him right for this, and it’s credit to him that he’s still managed to finish second in a Grade One as a 10-year-old.
“He’s been a brilliant horse for us and continues to be so.”
