After lots of speculation, Alan King’s Medermit showed his mettle by proving his was too strong for Champion Hurdle’s reigning title holder, Punjabi at Haydock.

Medermit was a close second to Go Native at last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and then went on to run in the Greatwood Hurdle and Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham.

Though Punjabi had ended up in fourth place the latter contest at Cheltenham, he was expected to take his revenge for this defeat at the Champion Hurdle Trial as fitness was on his side.

It was a strong fight that led to Medermit’s four length victory against Punjabi’s power. Alan King did mention that he was thrilled with the victory as the ground had him a bit worried before the race. With this win, King states that Medermit will now be heading straight to the Champion Hurdle, where he will love racing on what should be better ground.

In the meantime, Hadden Frost tasted his biggest success with Mamlock’s success in the Best Odds Guaranteed at Victor Chandler Holloway’s Hurdle at Ascot. Taheba ended up two lengths behind in second place, followed by Lough Derg in third and another two lengths away was Souffleur in fourth place.