IRVING proved a worthy favourite as he triumphed in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle and handed his trainer, Paul Nicholls, the 100th Grade One success of his career.

Ridden by Nick Scholfield, the 6-4 shot pulled alongside long-time leader Aurore D'Estruval going over the final fence and eventually pulled almost two lengths clear by the line.

There was no repeat of the horrendous jumping error that saw Irving suffer a crashing final-fence fall as he looked poised to win at Wincanton last time out, with the six-year-old hurdling neatly throughout.

Scholfield positioned him in midfield for the majority of the race, but he tracked Aurore D'Estruval coming into the home straight and quickened nicely when required.

The win strengthens the case for Irving lining up in next year's Champions Hurdle, with a further outing in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton likely.

However, having flopped in last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Irving will almost certainly have to improve again to trouble the likes of Faugheen, The New One and Jezki.

Aurore D'Estruval (3-1) ran a cracking race to finish second, and John Quinn's mare will now be aimed at the Mares Hurdle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Annie Power could also line up in the same race, but having trounced a decent field at Wetherby in her previous outing, Aurore D'Estruval is clearly one of the most talented mares in racing.

Willie Mullins' Arctic Fire never looked like threatening the front two, with Sea Lord's jumping errors preventing him from figuring in the business end of the race.

Earlier, there was an upset in The French Furze Novices Hurdle as 10-1 shot Native River outsprinted the odds-on favourite Definitly Red after a tactical encounter.