Always Waining made Aintree history when winning the John Smith's Topham Chase for the third year in a row and in the process ended a barren spell for trainer Peter Bowen.
The Haverfordwest handler had not had a winner since January, but the 11-year-old gave connections reason to celebrate and justify their tough decision to miss the John Smith's Grand National.
Always Waining rarely shows much sparkle for the majority of the season but he springs to life at the Liverpool course in April.
Once again jumping the National fences with aplomb, the 11-1 chance was too strong for Chance Du Roy on the long run-in to score by four and a half lengths with Fistral Beach third and Aimigayle fourth.
A relieved Bowen said: "This has made our season. Our horses have been coughing and they've not been right for a while.
"We worked him last week and thought he was in real good form. We took him out of the National because of the ground.
"It's some achievement to win three Tophams."
Tom O'Brien, riding the horse for the second year running, said: "He's absolutely amazing. He gives everyone who rides him a great spin around here and I'm delighted with that.
"He hears the crowd and he just takes off. I knew Chance Du Roy would take some passing as I won on him last time."
Lovcen (8-1) ruined the winning run of Fingal Bay when getting the better of the favourite in the John Smith's Sefton Novices' Hurdle.
Fingal Bay was a 13-8 shot to make up for missing the Cheltenham Festival due to injury but he had to settle for second best, beaten a length and a three-quarters by Alan King's charge who was ridden by Robert Thornton.
"He's very tough. We were very pleased at Cheltenham (fourth in Albert Bartlett) and we came here hoping he would run very well, but that surprised me a little," said King.
"He was off the bridle a long way and kept on finding."
Darlan, runner-up in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Festival, went one better under Tony McCoy in the Tangle Teezer Top Novices' Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson's five-year-old was sent off the 7-4 favourite and won in taking fashion from stablemate Captain Conan by three-and-three-quarter-lengths.
Henderson, who completed a double with Finian's Rainbow in the John Smith's Melling Chase, said: "One day Darlan will jump fences. He's a big weakly sort of a horse. He's got a lot of physical development in him still.
"I suspect he might stay over hurdles but we've only brushed at it. We've got all summer to think about it."
Henderson and Paul Nicholls are having a ding-dong battle to decide who is champion trainer and the latter hit back with Silviniaco Conti in the John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase.
Jumping accurately throughout the three-mile-one-furlong test, the 7-4 favourite carried himself to the front before the turn for home and went on to win convincingly by 13 lengths from Champion Court.
"We purposely left him out of Cheltenham to come here. He's a young horse, he's improving and we look forward to him next year," said Nicholls.
"He won't run again this season. He's a horse you have to think about aiming at the King George next year."
Attaglance became Malcolm Jefferson's second Cheltenham Festival hero to follow up at Aintree this week with a determined effort in the John Smith's Daily Mirror Punters Club Handicap Hurdle.
Pertemps Final winner Cape Tribulation struck under top-weight on Thursday, and Attaglance (14-1) also gave weight all round as he gamely held Tour D'Argent by a length and three-quarters.
"This horse has done remarkably well this season and there's not many who win four handicaps in a year," said Jefferson.
"He was never on the bridle but he just stays and gallops."
Rachael Green struck for the girls when guiding Eleven Fifty Nine (6-1) to victory for trainer Anthony Honeyball in the John Smith's Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
"It's been a great season but this is the winner we've been waiting for really," said Honeyball.
"The owner has been very patient as she got jarred up earlier in her career. She just keeps galloping and will be very good in novice hurdles."
