Racing:Denman was sent off as the odds-on favourite for today's Lexus Chase at Leopardstown and the Paul Nicholls-trained Hennessy winner didn't disappoint as he led all the way to win in fine style.
Ruby Walsh set only a steady pace on the 4-9 favourite, closely tracked by last year's winner The Listener, but quickened the tempo with half a mile to run.
Denman soon asserted and was not pressed in accounting for Mossbank by four lengths, with The Listener third and crowd favourite Beef or Salmon fourth.
Walsh was content to make the running on Denman, while Daryl Jacob employed slightly different tactics this time on The Listener.
Mossbank, who travelled well throughout, loomed up large on the final bend to lay down a challenge but Davy Russell's mount had no answer to Denman's striking turn of foot going to the last.
The Listener ran like he would be better suited to stepping back down in trip, while L'Antartique and State Of Play were never competitive.
Three-time race winner Beef Or Salmon stayed on after the last and was far from disgraced.
Denman was left unchanged at 2-1 with VC Bet for the Cheltenham Gold Cup while Mossbank was cut to 33-1 from 50s. The Listener was pushed out to 50-1 from 33s.
Stan James opted to cut the winner to 7-4 from 2-1.
Nicholls said: "That is what I expected really. "Ruby said this is a hard track to go out and make all, but it was fairly obvious after the first that they weren't going much pace so he let him bowl along.
"I was slightly worried by the lack of pace but I don't know the track as well as Ruby, so I left it entirely to him and he was always going to gallop all the way to the line.
"When he won at Newbury the last day he knew he'd had a race, but he's hardly blowing today so he was that much straighter and it was perfect.
"The Aon (at Newbury on February 9th) would be a possibility next and he will have an entry back here in the Hennessy (February 10th), but nothing is set in stone. I have options and will sort them out later.
"Hopefully he will end up at the Gold Cup and, like Kauto Star, will have one more run before."
Michael Hourigan, trainer of both Mossbank and Beef Or Salmon, said: "I now have two extremely classy chasers and I would say that is pound for pound equally as good a Gold Cup trial as you saw in Kempton.
"Mossbank will have an entry in the Gold Cup but the Ryanair could be the race for him and they will both be coming back here for the Hennessy.
"Beef Or Salmon (fourth) ran his usual good race but he won't be running in the Gold Cup this year."
Jacob said of The Listener: "Denman is a class above us and my horse just got tired in the final 50 yards."
Earlier in the day Sweet Kiln atoned for two recent near-misses to land the Woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle.
Michael Bowe's admirable charge has been nailed close home by Aitmatov and Jazz Messenger on her last two starts but Tom Doyle employed different tactics this time.
Settled in fourth position in the early stages, Doyle did not take up the running until the second-last, where his mount jumped past Sonnyanjoe.
The 11-10 favourite was kept up to her work to beat that rival by two-and-a-half lengths, with the veteran Adamant Approach staying on for third.
Notre Pere got the better of a thrilling duel with Abbeybraney to land the Grade One Knight Frank Ganly Walters Novice Chase.
Jim Dreaper's six-year-old, who has been a model of consistency, put in some spectacular leaps on his way round, unlike Drunken Disorderly, who fell for the second consecutive race.
Abbeybraney cruised into contention under Conor O'Dwyer but was out-battled after the last with Robbie Power's urgings from the saddle being seen to great effect on the 7-2 winner, with favourite Callherwhatulike in third.
Made In Taipan posted a much-improved performance racing left-handed when making all in the O'Dwyers Stillorgan Orchard Maiden Hurdle.
Davy Russell set off in front aboard the 5-2 joint favourite and stayed there throughout, with only Fantoche giving serious chase in the closing stages but ultimately being held by a length and three-quarters.
Major Sensation, a half-brother to 2002 Welsh National winner Mini Sensation, continued Arthur Moore's plentiful Christmas with a gritty victory in the Mongey Communications Novice Handicap Hurdle.
The mount of David Casey snuck in at the bottom of the weights and found most after the final flight to see off the 100-30 favourite Sandymount Earl by a length and a half.