Impose Toi continued his progression with a determined display to win the Howden Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.

Trained by Nicky Henderson, the seven-year-old had his first run this season in handicap company at Aintree but he took a step forward last time out.

Up against Strong Leader, arguably the best staying hurdler in the UK, he came out on top but was meeting Olly Murphy’s stalwart on 6lb worse terms on this ocassion.

It was Strong Leader, proving he can act to a high level on right-handed tracks, who took over when the race began in earnest but the JP McManus-owned pair of Impose Toi and Honesty Policy were travelling noticeably better.

Strong Leader was not stopping, though, and Nico de Boinville had to get serious with the Impose Toi (3-1) and he began to go clear as Honesty Policy, having his first run of the season, started to falter.

Impose Toi was kept up to his work to win by a length and a quarter from Strong Leader with Honesty Policy running on again a neck away in third.

Henderson said: “He (De Boinville) knew what he had to do and he’s given him the most perfect ride. We were quite a bit worse off with Strong Leader today so we had to improve 6lb.

“He’s had a dream run round, he jumped, he travelled and he was just always going best . From my point of view it was quite pleasurable to watch!

“When you see them going that well all you are thinking is they’ve got to finish it off. Nico did look like he had them covered.

“He was pretty flawless, I’ve got to say.

“If a horse finishes behind him at home you’ve got to start worrying because he does absolutely nothing! He’s extraordinary in that sense, but now we know, and that’s fine.

“Because of that I think we’d want one more run before March and give him January off. The Cleeve would be coming back to two and a half miles so I don’t know about that.”

De Boinville said: “He looked and felt great, you could only be delighted with that. It went very smoothly.

“We’re delighted with how he’s progressed this season, he’s coming into his own now.

“That was a true test of stamina today so it’s fantastic, we’re over the moon, you couldn’t not be.

“That was level weights so he’s entitled to be up there rated with the best three-mile hurdlers.”