Xenophon overcame the inexperience of just four previous runs when landing Ireland's richest handicap hurdle - the e130,000 Pierse Hurdle - for Tony Martin and Mick Fitzgerald.
The 7yo gelding cruised to the front before the last, and was pushed out to beat the staying on Colourful Life by 2L with Camden Tanner 3/4L back in third.
'The plan was to bring him to Cheltenham in November but he picked up a slight injury on his reappearance at Punchestown which ruled that out,' said Martin.
He added, 'I will see how he comes out of this race before making plans, but he has the stamp of a chaser and will go over fences next season.'
'He's been called alot of names in the past but I wish I had a few more like him,' said Christy Roche after Youlneverwalkalone headed Foxchapel King after the last to score by 1L in the Pierse Leopardstown Handicap Chase.
'Barry (Geraghty) was very good on him and, to be honest, I have not looked beyond today's race,' added Roche.
The Curragh trainer is now hopeful that his stable is over the bug which caused a number of his horses to be withdrawn here at the Christmas meeting.
The start of this race was delayed by 13 minutes as visibility at the second fence past the stands was impeded by smoke from a fire outside the track, and the fence was subsequently omitted.
Ten Poundsworth, the complete outsider of the 12 runners at 25/1 (53/1 on the Tote), caused a major shock in the Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novice Chase.
Davy Russell's mount jumped to the front at the penultimate fence to beat Ground Ball by 2L, and absent trainer George Stewart has the Grand National as the long-term plan this season.
Hi Cloy booked his ticket for the Royal & SunAlliance Novice Hurdle when following up a recent maiden win here in the 2m4f novice hurdle.
Timmy Murphy sent the 6yo past the front-running favourite Native Jack before the last to score by 1 1/2L, and trainer Michael Hourigan commented,
'He's a chaser in the making, and anything he does over hurdles is a bonus. He will have another run, probably over 2m to sharpen him up, before going to Cheltenham.'
Georges Girl turned the 24 runner S M Morris Handicap Hurdle into a procession, sprinting clear under Fran Flood off the home turn to beat Madonna Fan by a facile 1L.
Keepatem was confidently ridden by David Casey to take the 3m handicap hurdle, while Vodka Bleu (7/1-5/1) led a furlong out to land the bumper.
Alan Magee
