Willie Mullins confirmed his special relationship with the Weatherbys Champion Bumper as Missed That gave the Co Carlow trainer a remarkable fifth victory in the second day finale.
The 7 to 2 favourite somehow managed to hold off the outsider De Soto by a neck in a driving finish that saw the top flat rider Kieren Fallon finish fourth on Refinement.
The "somehow" element was felt more by Ruby Walsh than anyone else as Missed That looked to have ruined his chance by running far too free early in the race.
"He pulled the whole way to the top of the hill and I thought there was no way he could win. But he got there on the turn and then I just prayed he'd stay in front," he said.
Walsh wasn't the only one praying on the long haul home but there were others offering up for a different reason after the late gamble of the race Karanaja unseated his rider Nina Carberry at the start. It was desperate luck on Carberry who had won on Dabiroun just 24 hours before.
Missed That races in the colours of Violet O'Leary, who also won the bumper with Florida Pearl, and like that former star Missed That could progress straight to a career over fences.
"He has the sort of engine that let him get away with it today. I think he is a real good horse. He could run in the bumper at Punchestown and then we will think about maybe going over fences with him. He has already won a point-to-point," said Mullins.
Nicky Henderson has had to endure a wretched season with his powerful string laid low with a virus but the presence of an annual Cheltenham visitor seems to have turned his luck around.
Jessica Harrington stays with the Lambourn trainer for the festival and there should be some heroic hangovers at Seven Barrows this morning as Henderson saddled Trabolgan to win the SunAlliance Chase and followed up with the first two home in the Kim Muir.
Trabolgan overcame a bad mistake at the second last to overhaul the favourite Comply Or Die by three lengths and ignite Gold Cup dreams for next year.
"I thought I was gone at the second last but I am so pleased for the horse. He has finally done what we though he could do," said jockey Mick Fitzgerald.
Ladbrokes make Trabolgan a 25 to 1 shot for the Gold Cup next year and Henderson added: "That was Plan A and I would like to think he'll be back next year. The horses have come back well but it was important to win here."
Like-A-Butterfly was fifth but didn't please her trainer Christy Roche who hinted that the former AIG winner could be retired.
How well the Henderson horses have come back was proven in the Kim Muir where he ran three. The Bushkeeper looked to have a good chance of repeating his 2004 triumph in the race until falling at the second last but the finish was still dominated by Juveigneur who beat off Lord Of The River.
Graham Lee and Howard Johnson added to the Tuesday opener as No Refuge edged out Racing Demon in the SunAlliance Hurdle, where the big Irish hope Royal Paradise faded to seventh.
Mallow-born jockey Alan O'Keeffe had his first festival winner when the 33 to 1 Idole First beat off Dancing Bay in the Coral Cup where the Irish horse Tumbling Dice looked a slightly unlucky third.
