The seven-year-old stormed away to pass the post 5.5 lengths ahead of the Patrick Payne-trained Sweet Lullaby with Richard Laming's Refectory a further seven behind in the Hammonds Paints Champion Novice Hurdle.

Maher, who has now trained three jumps winners at this year's carnival including marquee races in the Brierly Steeplechase and Galleywood Hurdle, shifted the recognition for helping develop runners in the discipline.

"A good team definitely helps to do everything," he said.

"With the conditioning you can't be in a rush with them to build a really good foundation on them.

"(Jockeys) Johnny Allen, 'Dec' (Declan Bates), Steve Pateman and the whole team do a really good job in educating these horses and it's paying off this week."

Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, said there was plenty he liked about Chequered Flag and the way he goes about his racing.

"One is the quality of horse he is and his form and everything that he has done," he said.

"Just the other day he had a hurdle trial here and he bowled around and jumped beautifully and looked like he enjoyed himself and he broke away and did it so easy and I thought my god he is in good form."

Steven Pateman, who scored his second win of the carnival, was thoroughly pleased by the way Chequered Flag ran.

"He was awesome and he played into his hands with On Kileys Run going hard out on the front and that was a real tick because I was worried about bringing the field up to the race so his jumping was spot on," he said.

"He was a horse who could have had a shot at the Galleywood but luckily they did this race for him and Ciaron and Dave can aim high with him."

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