On a day racegoers turned up to follow Tony McCoy's every move, it was his great friend and rival Ruby Walsh who stole the limelight with a high-class double for Paul Nicholls at Sandown.
With 13-times champion McCoy drawing a blank in his quest to reach 3,000 winners, Walsh grabbed the two vital wins so sought after by McCoy.
The highlight of his brace came as the improving Herecomesthetruth held on by the skin of his teeth to claim the Grade One Toteswinger Challengers Novices' Chase.
Massini's Maguire looked to have ended his chance with a bad blunder at the Railway Fences but fought his way back into contention and ran the 7-4 favourite to a nose at the line.
Nicholls said: ‘Today has been a big step up on form and he is going the right way.
‘I didn't put him in any of the novice races at Cheltenham, but a race I would love to run him in is the Topham at the Grand National meeting.’
Philip Hobbs said of Massini's Maguire, who pulled 20 lengths clear of the remainder: ‘The race didn't tell us much more about where he should be running at Cheltenham but he will either go for the RSA or the Jewson.’
Walsh and Nicholls earlier struck as Celestial Halo warmed up for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle by claiming Osana's scalp as the 1-2 favourite in the Totepool Contenders Listed Hurdle.
The Triumph Hurdle winner was put in his place by Champion Hurdle favourite Binocular last time out, but managed to pick up Osana and hold off David Pipe's seasonal debutant by three and a half lengths.
Totesport trimmed Celestial Halo into 8-1 second-favourite for the Champion Hurdle, while last year's runner-up Osana was left unchanged at 14-1 with Cashmans.
Coral trimmed the first two home into 10-1 behind 5-4 favourite Binocular.
Nicholls said: ‘He was straight enough but I have left plenty to work on.
‘There are six weeks to the Champion Hurdle and this is just what the doctor ordered.
‘This race was perfect timing and it is great to get a run in at this time of the year and leave a bit in the tank.’
Pipe was represented by his father Martin, who said of Osana: ‘I am very pleased and thought that was a great run giving the winner 4lb.
‘He will definitely come on for the run, and you would love to take the winner on again at level weights.’
Chief Yeoman appreciated the step up to two miles and six furlongs in the £4 Million totescoop6 Heroes Handicap Hurdle to claim his share of the £50,000 pot at the expense of 4-1 favourite Ballydub.
Trainer Venetia Williams said of the 16-1 winner: ‘I was beginning to wonder if he would ever win a handicap as he has never managed it under any code.
‘My head lad asked me when I was going to run him over three miles. This was a step in the right direction and we are delighted.
‘He is in the Pertemps Final and that could be an option.’
Another Williams inmate bound for the Cheltenham Festival is Lorient Express (11-4) who has the Grand Annual as a target after securing the Totesport 0800 221 221 Handicap Chase.
Clan Royal has served trainer Jonjo O'Neill and owner JP McManus well in the John Smith's Grand National, but he could be usurped in this year's renewal by young pretender Can't Buy Time.
The 4-1 favourite had rattled off a hat-trick prior to taking third in the Tommy Whittle, and the seven-year-old continued on an upward curve in the totesport.com Masters Handicap Chase.
O'Neill said: ‘He jumped well and is improving all the time.
‘He is in the National and we will look at it as he does jump so well.’
Zaynar strengthened his position at the head of the JCB Triumph Hurdle market as Emma Lavelle's Amore Mio (9-4) landed the Toteplacepot Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.
The latter had finished a distant second to Nicky Henderson's juvenile at Ascot a fortnight ago, and went one better at the expense of Zaynar's stablemate and 4-7 favourite Optimus Maximus.
