VISION Des Flos finally gained the big-race victory he has long threatened by fighting off Harry Fry’s If The Cap Fits when claiming the NetBet Casino National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell Park.

Having finished in the frame in four of his six starts this season, the six-year-old Vision Des Flos opened his account when seeing out the two-mile-three-furlong trip best of all in the Grade Two contest.

The winner was cut to 16-1 for the Coral Cup by the race sponsors, while Paddy Power had trimmed Tizzard’s charge to 14-1 for the same race at Fontwell.

As for the runner-up, trainer Harry Fry remains keen on stepping him back up to Grade One level at Aintree, despite being disappointed with his effort.

He said: “Noel (Fehily) said he never really travelled.

“It was frustrating we couldn’t run in the Kingwell last week.

“He wasn’t good enough today and Noel did well to finish second the way he was travelling.

“We vaccinated him last week, which was not the plan to do so in such close proximity to a race.

“Hopefully the run was just down to that.”

Fry added: “He is not entered at Cheltenham and we have six weeks until Aintree and we still plan to go there.

“He was beaten a length and a half giving the winner 4lb.

“If he had travelled well he would have won.”