With favourite and last year's winner Brewin'upastorm crashing out early in the race it was left to Dashel Drasher (3-1) to run out a gutsy winner of the BoyleSports Best Odds Guaranteed Day Before Hurdle at Aintree Racecourse.
Jeremy Scott's nine-year-old, who has landed more success over the bigger obstacles chiefly at Ascot over the years, landed a victory over hurdles on his seasonal return at the home of the Randox Grand National.
Murphy's 10-11 market leader Brewin'upastorm was out of the race early after falling as Dashel Drasher set out to make all, under Rex Dingle, in atrocious conditions at Aintree. With the rain battering down, the nine-year-old led almost from start to finish of the 2m4f contest and bravely held off the late challenge of Voix De Reve (22-1) to score by two-and-a-quarter lengths.
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It was a first win for the Passing Glance gelding since a similar hurdles success in December last year. He could now return to chasing with a possible crack at the Grade Two contest at his beloved in two weeks in his sights – providing he comes out of this latest contest in good nick.
Dashel Drasher has won three times at Ascot in the past and trainer Scott said: "It all looked slow-motion stuff in the end. But as Rex (Dingle) says it is very difficult when you have got to front-run, knowing what pace you are going at. And when the favourite went out, it became more tactical. I thought at one point we hadn't done enough earlier on. But in fairness to him he battled back. He was very brave."
He added: "The plan was always to go to, I can't remember what it is called the Grade Two at Ascot, but that is only a fortnight away. But we will see how he comes out of this race and that possibly will be the target. But that (depends on) very much how he is. If he is not ready for that, he is not ready and we will wait for something else.
"So it's back to the scene of his finest performances and ultimately it will back there (Ascot) in January or February. He doesn't usually win on his first run, so that was good."
Trainer Murphy had also been on target earlier at Aintree as Doctor Ken (4-1) took the Boylesports Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
The six-year-old won once in five hurdles starts last season but he made a winning debut over the bigger obstacles under Aidan Coleman at Aintree.
Having sat off the lead for most the race as evens favourite Ree Okka made the running, Doctor Ken came through over the last fence and went on to score by two-and-a-quarter lengths.
Murphy said: "I thought he jumped very well on the whole. A horse who had never run in the point-to-point unlike his three rivals. He is hopefully a horse who is going to improve. A georgous big horse who got a very very good ride of Aidan Coleman. I was delighted with it.
"He is tough. I was thinking is he going to see it out. A lot of mine have needed the run (first time) this season, have come to the second last and looked like they would win then taken a blow. So I was waiting for that, but he didn't take a blow."
He added: "I had a horse of John Hales that ran deplorably in the first and then this. Good game this. You are up one minute, and down the next and vice-versa.
"He is one to look forward to and it is nice to have a Saturday winner for (owners) Diana and Grahame Whateley, who are very good supporters of mine."
Man At Work (15-2) made a winning debut over obstacles in the opener, the Boylesports EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
David Pipe's four-year-old, under Everton FC fan Tom Scudamore, came through having been held up near the rear of the field to collar the Dan Skelton-trained 10-11 favourite Grey Dawning to open his account over hurdles at the first attempt.
The two were a long way clear of the rest of the field but Man At Work was a decisive winner by a cosy length-and-a-quarter in the end. He sports the well-known green and red colours of Professor Caroline Tisdall and Bryan Drew carried many times over the Grand National fences by dual Becher Chase hero Vieux Lion Rouge.
Connections are hoping Man At Work could eventually make into a National contender, but it is still early days.
For now they were just delighted to have made a winning start to his career over obstacles.
Pipe said: "He is a nice youngster who has done everything right at home. I love his attitude, very professional. He schooled well at home and jumped well. He has got a very good mind which will hold him in good stead for the rest of his career.
"It is the second race of his life. He was a little bit on and off the bridle but he is that type of horse who needs a slap down the neck to respond and he comes back on the bridle. He is only four and he has got a bit more filling out to do next year. So he is something to look forward to. This was quite a hot race but we came up here for the ground. And it's worked out well. The horses are running well."
Winning jockey Scudamore was pleased with his partner. He said: "I have always liked him. He has still got plenty to learn and that's why we able to that on him today. He had run in the point-to-point and he had fallen but for a four-year-old to go and do that, we are delighted.
"I like the way he goes about his business, he is really professional. He does everything in the right way at home. he is not one of thos.e that blows you away, but I just really liked him and hopefully he will do a bit more talking for me."
And on carrying the same colours of Aintree star Vieux Lion Rouge to glory back on Merseyside, Scudamore added: "Caroline (Tisadall) said make sure you show him the first in the National, so he can get used to it. But that is a long way and fingers crossed he can keep getting better."
Trainer Pipe landed a quick-fire double with Remastered (8-1) warming up for a crack at the Coral Gold Cup Chase at Newbury with victory over the smaller obstacles in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier).
He was eased down by David Noonan to beat the 3-1 favourite Milan Bridge by four lengths with Dan Skelton's Ashdown Lad (13-2) a further neck back in third.
Remastered had been going well in last year's Newbury showpiece, formerly the Hennessy, when falling. He was then second in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock Park but had not won since February 2021 at Ascot until he reverted to hurdles at Aintree today.
He was cut to 10-1 with Paddy Power for the Coral Gold Cup at the end of the month. And Pipe said: "They (the owners) will be watching at home. I told them not to come up today as I thought he would need the run. I couldn't believe it when he was still in front. Obviously he likes these conditions and probably likes it softer again. The wind op has helped during the summer. He probably didn't have the best of preps, so it was a pleasant surprise.
"We hope so (go back to Newbury for the Coral Gold Cup). We will see what the ground is like. But he was running a very good race in it last year. The rest of his runs that season were a little bit disappointing, so I think the wind op during the summer has definitely made the difference. He has been a great horse over the years and hopefully there are a few more good days in him."
Galop De Chasse () landed a third chase success in the BoyleSports Handicap Chase as he took the two-mile contest over the Mildmay fences under Charlie Deustch.
