Barry Geraghty's instinct proved razor-sharp as his chosen mount, Triolo D'Alene, gave the jockey and trainer Nicky Henderson their second consecutive Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.
The 20-1 chance, who repeated the feat of subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth a year ago, is viewed as more of a Crabbie's Grand National type, but Geraghty preferred him over stablemate Hadrian's Approach, an early faller.
The last jockey to ride two in a row was Paul Nicholls in the mid-1980s, and he saddled the horse that got closest to Triolo D'Alene in Rocky Creek (8-1), who was beaten by two and three-quarter lengths.
Imperial Commander, who was eventually pulled up and now heads for an honourable retirement, looked younger than his 12 years as he set the pace with Highland Lodge for more than a circuit of the major winter handicap.
Katenko was another to blunder away his chance, but others moving into the void were Invictus, eventual third Theatre Guide (33-1) and the last-minute gamble and 11-2 favourite Our Father, who gave his supporters a brief moment of hope only to fade away again over the last couple of fences.
Champion trainer Henderson, who also landed the 2005 running with Trabolgan, had been worried about a few of his string after a heap of seconds and a notable defeat for the hotly-tipped West Wizard, but had been reassured by the victory of his Champion Hurdle hope My Tent Or Yours at Newcastle an hour earlier.
"Four or five days ago I was in despair, but a couple of things go right and the world suddenly seems a brighter place," he said. "After Triolo D'Alene won the Topham at Aintree last season we started to think about the National, and we will think about it.
"Barry has been begging me all year to save him for the National and we were looking at Aintree next weekend. I didn't do what I was told, but the Hennessy is very special."
Geraghty admitted it had been a hard call between the two horses. "I really fancied both of them," he said. "Sadly Nico [de Boinville] was given no chance on Hadrian's Approach. On that ground and on a stiff track, the horse finds it so easy."
Andy Stewart, joint owner of Rocky Creek, said: "I thought he ran very well and was just beaten by a better horse. The idea is to go for the Welsh National at Chepstow [December 28], but Aintree is the big target."
It had hardly been a bad day at the office for Stewart as Celestial Halo (7-2) deputised for the sidelined Big Buck's in the bet365 Long Distance Hurdle.
Big Buck's, who is set to return from injury in January, had been unbeatable in the previous four renewals, and front-running Celestial Halo was left all on his own in the Grade Two when odds-on favourite At Fishers Cross was stopped in his tracks by an appalling mistake at the second last.
Celestial Halo's trainer Nicholls said: "He's been an amazing horse, beaten a short head in a Champion Hurdle, and I thought his price was insulting given his win in France. He'll go for the Long Walk at Ascot [December 21] and I'm sure he'll end up in the World Hurdle with Big Buck's."
Rebecca Curtis, At Fishers Cross' trainer, said: "It's very disappointing, but it's not like he ran a bad race. It was a silly mistake that cost him. He'll go to Ascot next month."
Tatenen (14-1) had earlier initiated a double for Stewart in the bet365 Handicap Chase. The fluent start to life over fences for Valdez (2-1) continued apace as he came home in splendid isolation in the bet365.com Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.
Trainer Alan King said: "Fences are helping him to settle a lot better. I'd like to keep him at around two miles and we might look at Kempton over Christmas now."
Vendor (16-1), once a great hope for King's Barbury Castle stable, appears to have turned over a new leaf after a full summer MOT, judging by his performance in the bet365 Handicap Hurdle.
Newmarket-based Don Cantillon remains a shrewd operator on his day and the one-eyed As I Am (11-2) strung her rivals out all over Berkshire in the TBA Mares' Novices' Hurdle.
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