Champion jumps jockey Steven Pateman expects Fieldmaster to be a force throughout the winter hurdle features after his dominant win at Sandown.

The Patrick Payne-trained Fieldmaster ($3.60) made his first jumps appearance of the season in Sunday's 3300m benchmark 120 hurdle and turned it into a one-act affair, winning by 20 lengths.

Platinum Snip ($17) ran second with the Gai Waterhouse-trained favourite Tenby Lady ($2.60) another neck away third after making a mistake at the second last hurdle.

Fieldmaster won a maiden hurdle at Warrnambool last year and was placed in a restricted hurdle at Sandown but Pateman declared him a much better prospect this time around.

He believes the decision to send Fieldmaster to the paddock after one summer start will reap its rewards this winter.

The gelding returned to action earlier this month with a midfield finish in the Warrnambool Cup.

"He's flying. He's just going better than last year," Pateman said.

"He probably wasn't as well soundness-wise (last year) but he had such a good break and he'll be a key player all winter I reckon.

"When the tracks get heavier, he's even better. And he'll improve off that run."

Payne said the Australian Hurdle would be Fieldmaster's next assignment with the Grand National Hurdle his major winter target.

"They can go anywhere they want with him," Pateman said.

The $100,000 Australian Hurdle is at Sandown on May 31.

Earlier, the former Chris Waller-trained stayer Thubiaan, now in the Eric Musgrove stable, scored by four lengths in the maiden hurdle at his second jumps start.

"He's a lovely horse and should really go ahead with it from here, I'm hoping," Musgrove said.

Thubiaan is also likely to head to the Australian Hurdle.