The outlook could not be brighter for Oliver Sherwood after Many Clouds ended the trainer's 14-year losing streak at Cheltenham with victory in the BetBright Cup Chase.
Running for the first time since his gut-busting win in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury nine weeks ago, Sherwood's ace went up another notch to claim this prize and show he is a serious contender for the Betfred Gold Cup in March.
Last year's Grand National-winning rider Leighton Aspell took no prisoners as he elected to go toe-to-toe with Black Thunder from the start.
And when that rival cried enough, Many Clouds still had enough reserves to see off Smad Place by a length and a quarter with Dynaste third.
Bookmakers were quick to react, with Many Clouds now available at around the 12-1 mark for the blue riband on 13 March.
Sherwood said: "He got into a really good rhythm and jumped super.
"He was dossing a little bit up the run-in - he was in front for a long time - but we know he gets the trip really well.
"It was important to come here and get him some experience of Cheltenham.
"I'm so pleased he's won as it's my first winner here since the Greatwood in November 2000 (Hulysse Royal).
"It's great to have that monkey off my back.
"The dream is still alive. My job now is to get him back here in one piece for March."
Saphir Du Rheu (3-1), carrying the Andy Stewart colours of four-time Ladbrokes World Hurdle winner Big Buck's, will now go for the stayers' championship after winning the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle.
Like Big Buck's, Saphir Du Rheu was reverting to the smaller obstacles after falling over fences and worked hard for Sam Twiston-Davies to deny Reve De Sivola by a neck.
"He hadn't had a hard race for a while so that will have done him good. There's plenty of improvement and I suppose our mind is made up now and we'll go for the World Hurdle," said Nicholls.
"We can always go back chasing with him. Getting more experience over hurdles won't do him any harm."
Peace And Co (4-9 favourite), ridden by Barry Geraghty, cemented his place as market leader for the JCB Triumph Hurdle when maintaining his unbeaten record in the official trial for the four-year-old championship.
After being held up for most of the race run at a sedate pace, Nicky Henderson's charge came though to lead at the final flight and score by three lengths from Karezak.
Henderson said: "It was a messy race, but once Barry asked him he took him into the race very quickly. He'll learn a lot from it and he won't run again before the Triumph."
Alan King will give Ordo Ab Chao (16-1) entries in both two-mile-five and three-mile events at the Festival after he bounced back to form in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle in the hands of Wayne Hutchinson.
Generous Ransom (6-1) will probably line-up in one of the Festival handicaps after he put up a solid performance to win the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase under Daryl Jacob.
The BetBright Chase at Kempton next month could be the target for Annacotty (5-1) after he nailed Big Fella Thanks close home to take the freebets.com Trophy Handicap Chase.
Lightentertainment (7-2) gave the Chris Gordon stable a tonic after the fatal fall of King Edmund at Ascot week ago when coming with a stunning late run under Tom Cannon to lift the Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle.
