Last season's Arkle winner Put The Kettle On maintained her unbeaten record at Cheltenham when collaring Duc Des Genievres in the Shloer Chase.
Normally a front-runner, Put The Kettle On’s rider Aidan Coleman was content to let Duc Des Genievres set a brisk early pace on his first run for Paul Nicholls, but Put The Kettle On and Defi Du Seuil closed in coming down the hill.
Harry Cobden kicked again on Duc De Genievres and looked sure to hold on, but Henry de Bromhead’s mare stuck to her task gamely and the 7-4 chance ended up winning going away by a length and a quarter.
The winner was given a 12-1 quote by Coral for the Champion Chase in March.
Odds-on favourite Defi Du Seuil was pulled up early in the straight, having been behind in the early stages following a mistake at the first, before finding little for pressure at the finish.
Coleman said: "She has done very well. She has got a massive heart this filly as she hated the ground. She was never happy the whole way.
"It was a testament to her ability and her attitude as it was a hard race for her. Since November last year, she has only run once, so she might be a touch rusty. When I got on top, I won well.
"If you look at the form of the Arkle Trial (that Put The Kettle On won last year) it doesn’t stand up, but if you look at the Arkle, it is probably strong form.
"She must be in a good place to win if after two fences I’m not happy, as it is a long way to go in a championship race. The previous Arkle winner was second and everyone else was in another parish, so fair play to her.
"Yes, she has three from three here, but I think that is coincidence – if they were run anywhere else she would have won. She has won on all sorts of tracks, but if you are going to like a course, and especially be a two-miler, the Old Course at Cheltenham is the place to be, isn’t it?
"I think she can (take the step up to be a Queen Mother horse). Whether that means winning or being competitive, time will tell.
"She is value for more today, considering the feel I got all the way round. She will be there in the money, whether she is first or fourth you don’t know. She is a credit to connections."
Nicholls said of the second: "I was a bit nervous about the ground. I think on better ground he would finish better.
"A flatter track would suit him better, but I wasn't expecting that as I didn’t know what to expect. I would say watching that, slightly better ground, he would bounce off it. It was an almighty run."
Philip Hobbs said of Defi Du Seuil: "He just got very tired very quickly after jumping the second last and Dickie (Richard Johnson) just thought there was no point after that jumping the last, but he seems to be OK after the race."
Johnson added: "Defi du Seuil was going well. However, he was very tired jumping the second last. I just thought it was the right thing to do to pull him up after that, but he does seem to be fine after the race."
The Shunter flew up the Cheltenham hill to run out an impressive winner of the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle.
Racing from the bottom of the handicap, he relished the testing conditions as he quickened past top weight Ballyandy after the last.
Ridden confidently by Robbie Power, partnering his fourth winner of the Open meeting, it was a notable success for trainer Emmett Mullins.
As ever there were plenty in with a chance approaching the last, but Ballyandy still held sway despite his welter burden, and he did well to hold off the favourite Tegerek for second. Hunters Call was fourth.
The Shunter (13-2) only had a maiden hurdle win to his name over the smaller obstacles previously, but did triumph over fences at Punchestown in September.
Power said: "I'd say it's the lightest I've done for 10 years. Emmet fancied him and the rain came. He is more of a two-and-a-half miler, but the rain came and it brought his stamina into it today.
"I got badly outpaced down the hill and I couldn't go with them - I had to sit and suffer. He winged the second last and I knew when I gave him a squeeze at the back of the second last, I had a big chance.
"I needed a good jump at the last, but he has delivered for me. Once I met the rising ground, he galloped all the way up the hill. Having a light weight on that sort of ground makes a huge difference as well."
The Big Breakaway put in an almost perfect round of jumping to make a winning debut over fences in the opening mallardjewellers.com Novices' Chase.
Last seen when finishing fourth in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March, the Colin Tizzard-trained five-year-old returned to winning ways with an exemplary performance.
Racing in the front pair throughout the extended three-mile prize, the 4-9 favourite always looked in control before taking lengths out of his rivals at the third last.
With The Butcher Said making a costly error when mounting a challenge at the penultimate fence, it left The Big Breakaway only needing to be pushed out from the back of the last to defeat fellow chasing debutant Doc Penfro by 10 lengths.
