Sublimity overtook former winners Hardy Eustace and Brave Inca at the last fence and raced clear to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, England, on Tuesday.
With 6-4 favorite Detroit City well back in the field of 10, Philip Carberry kept 16-1 shot Sublimity behind the two front runners until they approached the end of the 2-mile race.
The 7-year-old gelding trained in Ireland by John Carr accelerated into the jump and pulled away to win the $695,000 race by three lengths. It was a first win in the race for Carberry, a member of the famous Irish racing family.
Last year's winner Brave Inca finished second with Ruby Walsh aboard and Afsoun, a 28-1 shot with Mick Fitzgerald in the saddle, got up to take third ahead of two-time winner Hardy Eustace.
Detroit City placed sixth.
The winner had just one prep run, at Navan in January. Before that he had not run since being placed at the Punchestown Festival last year. Sublimity was also an accomplished performer on the Flat, winning a Listed race at the Curragh two years ago.
This was Hardy Eustace's fifth Cheltenham and Brave Inca's fourth time here and they will be back again.
Sublimity had been backed (including by his trainer) at odds as big as 600/1 on the betting exchanges and started at just 16/1 having been well backed by the public in recent weeks.
