Un De Sceaux bagged another Grade One when running out a clear-cut winner of the rearranged Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham as the 1-2 favourite.
After being frozen off at Ascot last weekend, the authorities moved quickly to save the race and its star turn did not let his backers down.
Special Tiara and Royal Regatta put the pace to the race early on, but the latter had soon cried enough and Un De Sceaux moved up to join Special Tiara at halfway.
Approaching the fourth-last Special Tiara held an advantage, but a flying leap by Willie Mullins runner saw him hit the front and he would not be headed again.
On the run to the second-last, Uxizandre and Top Gamble briefly threatened but Un De Sceaux had loads left, jumping the last two in fine style to power clear for a five-length win from Uxizandre, who ran a huge race in second.
Mullins said: "He was very good. He jumped very big and fresh late on, which shows how well he is, but then I started to wonder if he'd have enough left for the finish.
"To be able to do that after coming back to Ireland and going to England again is very impressive.
"As for the Festival and which race, I'll have to chat to the owners but at this stage the Ryanair is possibly his race.
"We know for a fact he stays two and a half miles, so there are no stamina doubts.
"I suppose it depends on Douvan and what he does in his next race."
Alan King was delighted with the returning Uxizandre on his first start for 688 days: "I'm absolutely thrilled with him, it was a great run and he ran all the way to the line.
"He exceeded my expectations, especially after it had rained, as we know he's better on better ground.
"I'd imagine it will be the Ryanair but we'll leave him in the Queen Mother as well."
1-2F Un De Sceaux makes it back-to-back wins in the Clarence House under an emphatic ride from Ruby Walsh, now 3-1 for Ryanair #TrialsDay pic.twitter.com/ltzx9CldHl
— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) January 28, 2017
Unowhatimeanharry (10-11 favourite) extended his winning run to eight with a flawless performance in the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle,
Since switching to Harry Fry the nine-year-old has yet to taste defeat and is already a Festival winner, in the Albert Bartlett last season.
Having stepped out of novice company with aplomb this term, he faced 14 rivals in the Grade Two affair.
Barry Geraghty always looked comfortable and tracked Cole Harden and Ballyoptic for much of the race.
Cole Harden, the World Hurdle winner from 2015, ran his best race for some time and kept Unowhatimeanharry honest on the long run from the last, with the hurdles in the home straight omitted for low sun.
However, a new threat emerged in the shape of West Approach and Ruby Walsh, who had sneaked into contention, but the favourite kicked clear.
To his credit Cole Harden battled back to claim second, beaten by a length and three-quarters, with West Approach's run just flattening out in third.
10-11F Unowhatimeanharry charges up the hill to win the Cleeve Hurdle, beating a revived Cole Harden #TrialsDay pic.twitter.com/SLplt2h9lW
— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) January 28, 2017
Urgent De Gregaine (50-1) caused a huge surprise in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase.
The race was scheduled for the meeting in November but the ground was too firm to run it then so it was saved for Trials Day.
With half a mile to go it looked to be going to the script as Enda Bolger's favourite Cantlow was going well with stablemate Auvergnat travelling nicely for Rachael Blackmore.
However, she was unseated before they rejoined the racecourse proper and Cantlow looked sure to win.
Felix de Giles had nursed the French raider into contention, though and he found plenty on the run-in to beat Cantlow by three lengths with Any Currency third.
Fry said: "Barry looked confident coming down the hill and then he thinks he's done enough when he hits the front, but that's probably why he keeps winning. Obviously if he's OK after this we can roll on to March.
"If we worked him with 100-rated horse at home or a 140-rated, he goes a length up and stops. If he was winning by 20 lengths every time there'd come a time the tank would be empty.
"It was soft, tacky ground today and he travelled nicely through it, but he handles better.
"We'll have to see what Willie Mullins brings (in the World Hurdle), but there'll be something in Ireland fancying their chances.
"March is six weeks away, so plenty can happen."
Geraghty said: "He's a lovely attitude, he travelled really well through the race and got there easy enough, but then he dossed in front.
"He keeps beating what's in front of him, but only the same distance which is why he's under the radar a bit.
"He just keeps winning."
Wholestone (11-4 favourite) recorded his third win at Cheltenham this season in the Neptune Investment Management Classic Novices' Hurdle.
With the two flights in the home straight omitted on both circuits due to low sun it at times resembled a Flat race, but that did not faze Wholestone, who was handy throughout.
Twiston-Davies' six-year-old has only been beaten once this season, by Peter Fahey's Peregrine Run in November.
Daryl Jacob harried Mr McGo for the lead before taking up the running down the back straight.
William Henry then loomed large as the likeliest winner with two furlongs to run, but Wholestone kept on pulling out more and ran out a convincing three-length winner.
Twiston-Davies said: "It was a very good performance, he's done nothing wrong all season and keeps getting better.
"We were going to go for the River Don at Doncaster over thre miles, but luckily we came here as we were hoping for the softer ground.
"He is versatile regarding the trip and will be in the Neptune and Albert Bartlett, but the likelihood is the Albert Bartlett.
"It's possible he could have another run, we'll have to see.
"He's a good galloper and the rain helped."
Connections are favouring the longer trip of the Albert Bartlett at the Festival after Wholestone's latest win https://t.co/LPfYW2bXG1
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) January 28, 2017
Defi Du Seuil (1-5 favourite) had no trouble in extending his winning streak to five in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial.
Having originally been discarded by Barry Geraghty in favour of Charli Parcs at declaration time, he switched to Philip Hobbs' youngster when overnight rain saw Nicky Henderson pull his runner out.
Despite putting in a few sticky leaps again, he jumped appreciably better than when winning at Chepstow last time out.
Only Rainbow Dreamer could live with him in the straight, but Defi Du Seuil pulled nine lengths clear.
"His jumping got better as the race went on," said Hobbs.
"There was no pace, only a few runners so I'm delighted everything went right.
"He's only ever run on soft, but I don't think he needs it. I don't think good ground would be against him.
"He's very tough, takes racing well and is very straightforward. He's very easy to deal with.
"Richard Johnson would be the first to admit that he was in front far too soon at Chepstow and that might have been why he jumped like he did in the straight.
"We schooled him the week after Chepstow and he jumped well as he always does at home.
"He won't run again now before the Festival."
Royal Vacation (12-1) ran out an easy winner of the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase.
In a race full of incident and fallers, the Colin Tizzard-trained Grade One winner stamped his class on proceedings.
Paddy Brennan’s mount was left in front coming down the hill when Mercian Prince fell, bringing down Uncle Danny when both were still going well.
Singlefarmpayment was another casualty, as was More Buck's but whether he should have been pulled up beforehand having seemingly taken the wrong track will be debated.
Royal Vacation stayed on strongly up the hill to beat Potters Legend by eight lengths, with Ibis Du Rheu third.
Nigel Twiston-Davies' Foxtail Hill (12-1) jumped for fun to make all the running in the Hugo's Restaurant Barbados Trophy Handicap Chase.
Upped 9lb for a win at Kempton, he was still towards the foot of the weights and Jamie Bargary was keen to make it a test of stamina.
For the first two miles only Tenor Nivernais could live with him, but coming down the hill for the final time Foxtail Hill had burned him off.
Not surprisingly the winner began to get a little weary coming up the hill but while Saphir Du Rheu was staying on he never really looked likely to get there.
He had a length to spare at the line with a further four and a half back to Tenor Nivernais in third.
