The unbeaten More Of That caused a minor turn-up when seeing off the outstanding mare Annie Power, the 11/8 favourite, to win the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.
Four-time winner Big Buck’s finished fifth, and Paul Nicholls immediately announced that he would be retired.
The winner, who I put up at 10/1, was sent off at 15/2 and was having his first start since scoring at Cheltenham in December.
He was always travelling strongly in the hands of Barry Geraghty, and after jumping the last upsides the 11/8 favourite Annie Power forged clear up the run-in to score by 1 1/2 lengths.
Trainer Jonjo O’Neill said: “We were very pleased with the horse and he was in great old form. He was just coming along nicely. We didn’t run him in the heavy ground and I think that suited him because he is still a big frame of a horse who is coming to himself.
“Adele rides him out everyday and she kept telling me how well he was. It all came together nicely, so it’s brilliant.
“He doesn’t show a lot at home – he is a real placid horse and he goes about his business and never does anything flash. I have never really worked him hard at home and he does his winning that way.
“Once he is healthy in himself, he shows us that he is a proper horse. I thought after Haydock, when he made that mistake and got back into the race in a decent handicap, that he would stay three miles but you never know until they run. I was quietly confident.
“Jumping the last, I thought he would keep galloping. I had a little doubt in my mind that Annie Power might not quite get home but she gave us a fair fright. It’s nice that there was no pressure on us today.
“It was A P’s decision. He believed in his horse (At Fishers Cross) and I believed in mine. Barry (Geraghty) wasn’t too bad, was he! A P was adamant that he wanted to stay on At Fishers Cross which I’d have done because he was proven over the trip and they’d got him jumping much better.
“Barry got him into a lovely rhythm and the horse jumped brilliantly today. He was pleased with the horse everywhere he went. Barry won this race for me 10 years ago with Iris’s Gift so it’s nice to team up again.
“I thought he would stay but you never know until you try. He’s got up that hill before and he’s bred to stay although he is a full-brother to Eastlake, who is a two-miler.
“After he won in December, the ground got very bad everywhere so we’d thought we’d miss the bad weather and wait for this – there’s only one Cheltenham.
“If I can keep him safe and sound then there are loads of options for him. He’s a lovely big horse who could go chasing.”
Owner J P McManus added: “A P had a lot of faith in At Fishers Cross – the horse had never let him down . He thought a lot of More Of That but he thought another year wouldn’t do him any harm. Jonjo was surprised that he didn’t pick him but somebody was going to be disappointed and it is Barry’s day.
“Long may it last. It’s nice to have horses that are good enough to run in these big races.”