Alan King introduced another string to his glittering bow of hopefuls for the Triumph Hurdle when Gibralfaro made a winning start for the Barbury Castle trainer at Kempton.
The son of Arc winner Dalakhani outpointed four recent winners and dented a couple of big reputations as he landed the William Hill Winter Festival Juvenile Hurdle at 9-1 under Wayne Hutchinson.
Travelling beautifully off the strong pace set by Duke Of Medina, Gibralfaro still had six lengths to make up on the leader when squeezed up by that rival on the home bend. But as soon as he saw clear daylight, Hutchinson's mount gradually started to reduce the deficit and with a continuing surge, reeled in the leader close home to score going away by half a length.
Good horses such as Berland and Ashoka were stretched out like washing behind on the testing ground.
King observed: "He came from the same source as Walkon, Mille Chief and Oceane and hasn't been with me long. On the back of that, we thought we must have him.
"I didn't want to aim him too high, but he'll come on a bundle and well have to aim him at the Triumph now. Well need to get another win into him, and take it from there."
Hutchinson was equally elated and commented: "I was confident coming round the bend, but Harry Whittington's horse (Duke Of Medina) kept me in a pocket and then went again.
"He was green over the last two, but there's a big engine under the bonnet, that's for sure."
Coral introduced Gibralfaro into their Triumph list at 25-1, while Hills initially went 25s but quickly cut him to 16-1.