It was tight in the market beforehand for the match race at Navan this afternoon but Lucid Dreams proved much too strong for his rival, Joyeux Machin in the rated novice chase.

Liam Quinlan bounced out in front on the 5/6 favourite in the two-and-a-half mile contest and he was joined by his market rival, a 10/11 shot, turning for home.

Lucid Dreams asserted over the second last and was nicely clear jumping the final fence as he went on to post a 22-length winning margin.

Trainer John Ryan revealed afterwards that he will pitch his charge into top level company now at Christmas:-

“He'll probably go for the Grade 1 novice chase at Limerick, he's entered there. I'd say two-and-a-half is his trip.

“I was thinking about the 0-140 in Leopardstown but I shouldn't have come here if I was thinking about that off 140!

“He'll probably give me a few pounds for that as he hammered him, he put 22 lengths between him.

“Liam said he felt like he was only doing a hack canter everywhere, he said he was a different class horse.

“He's probably a Grade 1 horse, he's a big strong horse to carry weight.”