No five-year-old had won the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle since See You Then in 1985 but Katchit - winner of last season's JCB Triumph Hurdle - defied that statistic to win this year's renewal in scintillating fashion to score by a length from the front-running Osana.
Trainer Alan King admitted the victory came as a pleasant surprise. "I'm totally shocked, I've been so relaxed all day because I thought we couldn't win," admitted King. "I thought the ground was against him and the stats were against me - five-year-olds don't win the race so I told the owners to be delighted if we were in the first four.
"It shows how good the four-year-olds were last year with Punjabi coming third, I think they are a vintage generation. My gut feeling today was that the older horses might power away up the hill from him.
"There was always going to be a strong pace and the one thing I did say beforehand was that we'd get closer to Osana than at the December meeting. He's just amazingly tough - he doesn't let you down.
"See You Then went on to win the next two Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdles but asked about that, King added: "I'm not going to worry about that. When we bought him off Mick Channon I thought he might be an ideal sort for the juvenile handicap hurdle at Market Rasen, this sure as hell wasn't his target! He didn't cost a fortune and it just shows that good horses can come from anywhere.
"I don't think he'll go to Aintree, that's two and a half miles and he could possibly go
to Punchestown but I think that's probably it for the season. I always said we wouldn't over race him this season as a five-year-old."
Winning rider Robert Thornton added: "They went a real good gallop, it ended up a bit of a slog, and I was worried we'd given Osana a soft lead just like in the Boylesports. Normally mine's a good traveller but I was flat out all the way, I think it was a combination of the ground and the gallop. It was only at the second last that I thought we might win.
"He's a little legend, he's as tough as a box of nails and doesn't owe anyone anything. When jumping comes into play, that's what helps him. He's a little terrier "This is what everyone has worked for including Christoph (Dallaporta), his lad. This is what it's all about. He was flat out most of the way and I was cautious not to give Osana too much rope down the hill.
"The gallop felt quick enough early on and he's picked up Osana fairly well and he's probably got there soon enough. The one thing I knew he would do is battle and he has. Sizing Europe got a little close at the second last and he's lent on me so I've lent back, which is the kind of thing Katchit needs. He needs to grab hold of the bit and battle. I felt Osana coming back at us coming up the hill but I was hopeful that Katchit would fight win, lose or draw and he did."
David Bellamy, who heads the ownership syndicate, added: "We've had three or four horses since we were introduced to racing by William Harrison-Alan, a good friend of mine, and had some great experiences but nothing to match this. This is dream time, we're so proud of Katchit and have family and friends all over the country cheering him on."
Groom Christoph Dallaporta said: "I'm so happy, I ride him every day and he's a wonderful horse to sit, he's a natural and very laidback at home." Katchit was the first JCB Triumph Hurdle winner to win the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle the following season since Persian War in 1968.