Paul Nicholls proved yet again he has no peers when it comes to preparing horses for the big races as Silviniaco Conti landed a second Betfair Chase at Haydock.

Winner of the Grade One prize in 2012, he was third to Cue Card 12 months ago on his first outing of the season.

To make sure he had the eight-year-old cherry-ripe for the first Grade One chase in England this term, Nicholls ran his charge in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby and some were disappointed he could only finish fifth behind Menorah.

It was Menorah, for the bang-in-form combination of Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson, who gave Silviniaco Conti most to think about on Merseyside and appeared to be travelling best at the third-last. But when stamina came into play, Noel Fehily guided Silviniaco Conti (100-30) to a two-length win, with last year's runner-up Dynaste third, a further eight lengths away.

The disappointment of the race was the 3-1 favourite Cue Card, who tried to put the pace to the race but looked flat in the home straight and could only finish fourth. Jonjo O'Neill's Taquin Du Seuil was also expected to put up a big challenge, but he threw any chance away with some sloppy jumping and was pulled up.

Fehily said: "It's another masterclass training performance by Paul Nicholls.He's a hell of a horse, an unbelievable stayer."

The first four home seem likely to lock horns again at Kempton in the William Hill King George VI Chase on Boxing Day. Nicholls, who was claiming his sixth win in the race, said: "The cheekpieces sharpened him up completely. When he's right, he's probably the best in the country. The King George is where he'll go next."

Silviniaco Conti produced a curious display in last season's Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, when he finished fourth, after inexplicably throwing away a commanding position in the run-in.

Nicholls said: "A few things didn't go to plan last season and I don't know what happened to him at the last in the Gold Cup. But when I saw he had his ears pricked today I knew they wouldn't get past him."

Hobbs said of Menorah: "He's run the race of his life. Really, he doesn't want three miles - two-six is ideal - but he's run a fantastic race. He just hasn't quite got home but, in fairness to him, he galloped all the way to the line."

Colin Tizzard had no excuses for Cue Card and said: "There's plenty of the season left. We've no god-given right to win all of these championship races. As long as he's sound on Sunday, we'll go on to the King George."

The New One cemented his position as a strong Champion Hurdle contender with a crisp run in the inaugural running of the Betfair Price Rush Hurdle.

An unlucky third at the Festival last season, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained six-year-old maintained his unbeaten start to the new campaign by easily taking this prize over two miles.

Zamdy Man cut out most of the running, with The New One and Sam Twiston-Davies in second and Melodic Rendezvous out wide in third.

The race sparked into life near the final flight, when the 1-3 favourite joined the game pacesetter at the front. Zamdy Man (9-1) carried on fighting, but he was emphatically brushed aside by The New One, who drew two-and-three-quarters of a length clear without ever being asked a serious question.

Twiston-Davies said: "His jumping was very good. You couldn't get a much bigger thrill than with a horse like this."