Metier maintained his unbeaten record over obstacles with a facile victory in the Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown.
A useful performer on the Flat in Ireland for Andrew Slattery, the Mastercraftsman gelding subsequently changed hands for 150,000 guineas to pursue a jumping career with Harry Fry.
He made a fine start for his new connections when impressing on his hurdling bow at Newton Abbot in October - and having since doubled his tally with a dominant front-running display at Ascot, Metier was the 7-4 favourite to complete his hat-trick in this Grade One feature.
Always travelling well in the hands of Sean Bowen, the five-year-old loomed up to challenge long-time leader Shakem Up'Arry early in the home straight.
The latter did his best to make a race of it, but Metier had far too many guns and powered clear in the testing conditions to score emphatically by 12 lengths.
Paddy Power reacted by cutting the winner to 10-1 from 25-1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Jamie Moore celebrated his 800th winner in Britain following the front-running success of Hudson De Grugy in the Unibet Extra Place Races Every Day Juvenile Hurdle.
The 35-year-old has enjoyed many highlights during his distinguished riding career to date, most notably steering the popular Sire De Grugy to several big-race victories, including the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham and two Tingle Creeks at Sandown.
Hudson De Grugy, a relative of trainer Gary Moore's former stable star, has some way to go to scale those heights, but nevertheless looks a fine prospect judged on his determined display in the Esher mud.
Sent straight to lead by Jamie Moore, the 4-7 favourite was strongly pressed by Hystery Bere between the final two flights, but pulled out plenty up to hill to prevail by two and three-quarter lengths.
The winning rider said: "I had my 799th winner when I last rode a winner, which was about two years ago!
"The horse was very genuine – he jumped good. Josh (jockey’s brother) has done all the work with him, but he has just had a little bit of trouble with a shoulder. It is really down to Josh and Dad, I’ve just had to do the steering.
"He is related to Sire De Grugy and he has got that little bit of heart in him."
Sandy Thomson enhanced his reputation for restoring horses to their former glories as he sent out Seeyouatmidnight to land the Unibet Veterans' Handicap Chase.
Having revived the fortunes of Grade One scorer Yorkhill to win the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle last November, the Lambden handler saw his magic touch work wonders again as his stable stalwart rolled back the years in the three-mile prize.
Racing prominently throughout, the dual Grade Two scorer moved into a lead he would not surrender jumping the last out of the back straight, despite being faced with a host of challengers.
Meeting the final two fences on a good stride, the 10-1 chance answered jockey Ryan Mania's every call to hold off the late thrust of Crosspark by a length, just a day after officially turning 13.
Thomson said: "We are here today because of him. If it wasn’t for him, where would our training career be? It is such a shame he hasn’t been a sounder horse throughout his career, but he has given us so many great days. You just have to enjoy the good ones.
"This will give me immense pleasure, as has any race he has won, because he has very seldom gone out in a little novice chase or hurdle – he has always had to go out with the big boys.
"He has kicked most of the fences out the twice he has been to Haydock (where he was pulled up on his latest start), but he did a great bit of work with Yorkhill a fortnight ago and that is when I thought we were going to go (to Sandown)."
Seeyouatmidnight was initially owned by Thomson’s wife Quona, but was sold to David and Patricia Thompson before finishing 11th in the 2018 Grand National.
However, the Thompsons gifted the gelding back to Thomson after he was retired following that Aintree spin.
Thomson added: "The Thompsons very kindly said 'we are not going to go on with him, you may have him back and do as you wish’.
"He was officially retired. He came down to Newmarket and the vets did all the tests – he had scans and things and they sent them to America. They came back and the verdict was the horse wouldn’t stand training. We just started riding him at home and he kept sound.
"There were a couple of nights I went into his box and thought it was over, but we have then given him an easy time and it has been a little flare-up or a knock, and here we are."
Paul Henderson praised stable stalwart Doitforthevillage, who gained his first win in more than two years at the age of 12 when swooping late to land the Read Nicky Henderson’s Unibet Blog Handicap Chase under Tom O’Brien.
Henderson said of the 14-1 shot: "He has been a super horse and a real stable star since we’ve had him.
"He only ran a few days ago, but the ground was too fast – it was almost good to soft, good ground.
"He likes soft ground as he has always been a relentless galloper.
"This is huge for us today as it keeps us in the limelight. He is such a good horse."
The Venetia Williams-trained Ibleo enjoyed a deserved change of fortune in the Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Handicap Chase.
Runner-up on his two previous starts this season, the eight-year-old was the 13-8 favourite to go one better and charged home from an unpromising position to score by a length and a half under an excellent ride from Charlie Deutsch.
"I did rather laugh when the commentator said Ibleo is held up at the back, as Ibleo does his own holding up! The idea was to jump out smartly and be as handy as possible," said Williams.
"He is a bit of a cold horse early on. I must admit, the strong pace was in our favour."
Williams earmarked the Grand Annual at Cheltenham as a potential long-term target, adding: "Like everybody that has a horse at this sort of level, you are working back from the Festival in March."
The father-and-son combination of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies took out the concluding Unibet Casino Deposit 10 Get 40 Handicap Hurdle with 3-1 shot Guard Your Dreams.
