Delta Work defended his Glenfarclas Chase title as Gordon Elliott won the Cheltenham Festival cross-country feature for the fifth time in seven years.
Last year Delta Work had to play the role of pantomime villain as he spoiled the retirement party of Tiger Roll by edging out the dual Grand National winner in a thriller.
But this time around he was the people's favourite, with the 10-year-old was sent off the heavily backed 11-10 market leader.
Kept in the perfect place throughout by Keith Donoghue, he edged his way to the lead shortly after jumping the Aintree fence for the final time.
Delta Work was soon joined at the head of proceedings by stablemate and second-favourite Galvin, and it was soon obvious the classy Elliott duo were the only ones with a real chance of taking home the first prize.
Matching strides approaching the last, Donoghue always looked to be holding on to that little bit more than Davy Russell aboard Galvin and so it proved in the closing stages as Delta Work came home with a two-and-a-half-length advantage.
Donoghue was picking up his fourth victory in the race having steered Tiger Roll to success in 2018, 2019 and 2021, while both the winner and runner-up will now head to Aintree for the Randox Grand National.
It's a REPEAT! 🙌😍
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 15, 2023
DELTA WORK was made to battle just like last year with Tiger Roll, but this year Galvin couldn't get past either in the @Glenfarclas Chase #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/qioohllNSl
Elliott said: "I love the cross-country race. It was great to have the one-two and see Galvin run a great race because he will come on for it.
"I’m pleased for Keith who is having his best ever season, but Jack (Kennedy, injured stable jockey) is a team player and he’s here lending his support. Jack will be back on these horses when he’s passed fit to return.
"Both horses will now go for the Grand National."
The diminutive Langer Dan (9-1) made it third time lucky at the Cheltenham Festival when holding on for a brave success in the Coral Cup.
The big meeting has been a cruel mistress for the Dan Skelton-trained seven-year-old in the last two seasons, bumping into Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs in the 2021 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Hurdle before being brought down at the second flight when sent off favourite for the same race 12 months ago.
This year stable jockey Harry Skelton was given his chance on board and despite having plenty to do when short of room two out, he was inspired in the saddle from the home turn.
Hitting the front halfway up the run-in, he drove his mount home with vigour to hold off An Epic Song (second) and Campround (third) in three-way tussle at the finish.
Dan Skelton said: "He's a great horse to train because he puts it all in when it matters.
"The best thing that happened is that they shut the door on him two out which meant battle was renewed, and he likes that because he had to get out of jail as if it was another race.
"What this horse has got is heart. He’s all heart and it’s part of him.
"He comes alive in the spring, but we’ve got more chances to come. Compared to Wille Mullins we’re in the foothills, but we strive to get better and our team is stacked with talent."
There was a first Festival winner for Darragh O'Keeffe as he steered Henry de Bromhead’s Maskada (22-1) to victory in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual.
Jumping the final fence alongside defending champion Global Citizen and Dinoblue, Maskada took advantage of a jolting error from favourite Dinoblue to scorch to a six-and-a-half-length victory.
De Bromhead said: "She was really good, we’re delighted with her. Darragh gave her a super ride so I’m delighted for him, it’s his first winner here, that’s brilliant.
"I’m delighted for the Marigas (owners) they are great supporters of ours and we had a nice winner for them on Saturday and here today.
"We bought her last season, just before Punchestown, and she had a nice run there. They have some very good broodmares and she looked ideal to add to the band. She had good form in the UK, I don’t think we’ve done a lot with her.
"She had form over further and in soft ground so we are delighted."
