Dodging Bullets struck at the top level for the first time as he triumphed in the 888Sport Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.
With crack two-milers Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy on the sidelines, the way was clear for a new name on the Grade One roll of honour and Sam Twiston-Davies and his mount were full of running two out.
Going on from Somersby, who had been to the head of affairs throughout, the Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old never looked like stopping up the hill. Hinterland was third for Nicholls in the hands of Noel Fehily.
Sent off at 9-1, the winner scored by two and a half lengths from the gallant Somersby (8-1) to give Nicholls a ninth winner in a race he has enjoyed tremendous moments with the likes of Kauto Star and Master Minded.
Third home was Hinterland (12-1), also from the Nicholls yard.
Twiston-Davies said: "Paul has had a great Saturday, and it's great that I can do my bit as well.
"It was a lovely race to ride in, they went a nice gallop and I always had one to aim at, so it worked out well.
"This is why this is an amazing job, to ride horses like this I'm very lucky."
Nicholls said: "I thought he'd win the last day at Cheltenham, but it looked like he needed it.
"He's always been a hard horse to train as he's very buzzy. We've been hard on him since his last run. Today was the best he's ever looked and he was as fit as he'll ever be.
"Horses like him have to be at their very best and he was.
"The Champion Chase will be our aim now. He' get stronger and better and we know how to train him now. We'll get him at his best at Cheltenham and he should be there with a chance."
Michael Channon jnr said of Somersby: "Brilliant. The old warrior is still going. He ran a blinder.
"He likes it up front. We did that in the Queen Mother and he seems to jump a lot better. He makes fewer mistakes and has his own way a bit more.”
There was a sad postscript to the race as the popular Oscar Whisky had to be put down as a result of injuries he suffered in a fall.
Nicholls also won the other Grade One on the card, the Racing Post Henry VIII Novices' Chase, with Vibrato Valtat, as well as having a notable triumph at Aintree with Sam Winner.
The 5-1 chance put himself in the picture for Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham with a two-length verdict over Dunraven Storm, who had beaten him at Cheltenham three weeks earlier. The winner's stablemate Irish Saint was third.
"Vibrato Valtat is probably a real two-miler. Today the race unfolded for him," said Nicholls.
"It wouldn't surprise me if he turned out to be an Arkle horse. He's got plenty of boot and the faster they go the better for him. He's definitely in the mix for that.
"He was going to go for the Wayward Lad at Kempton and he might still do that."
Oscar Whisky's trainer Nicky Henderson landed a treble through Caracci Apache, Cup Final and Snake Eyes.
The Seven Barrows handler kicked off with Caracci Apache, who gave him victory in the Club Wembley "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle for the sixth year running and he sent out the runner-up as well for good measure.
It was the bigger priced of the pair, Caracci Apache (14-1), ridden by Barry Geraghty, that outpointed Tony McCoy's mount Clean Sheet (3-1) by a length and a quarter.
"I think with both of them it will be small steps. They are nice horses and in it for the long term," said Henderson.
The JP McManus-owned Cup Final (6-4 favourite) did the honours under McCoy in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Series Qualifier.
"He's brewing up into a horse that stays. The Pertemps might be the race for him," said Henderson.
McCoy made it a double on Snake Eyes (3-1 favourite) for owner McManus in the Madinat Jumeirah Dubai December Handicap Hurdle.
"The Ladbroke is only a fortnight away, so we'll have to see," said Henderson.
"He came back in early from JP's for us to get on with him but he got sick and it took us months to get him ready. He might not have strongest constitution."
Trainer Phil Middleton has Aintree in mind for Tales Of Milan (7-1) after he put up an admirable staying performance to win the 888Sport London National Handicap Chase under Harry Haynes.
"He jumped great today and I'm dreaming of the Grand National now," said the Aylesbury handler, who has just four horses.
Richard Johnson bounced back after being hit with a 12-day ban for taking the wrong course at Exeter on Friday when steering home Kayfleur (14-1) to a two-length victory in the Club Wembley Mares' Handicap Hurdle for trainer Henry Daly.
