Adrian Maguire found the winner's circle for the first time since returning from breaking a collar-bone at the same track last month when Spendid landed the Cheltenham Sponsorship Club Handicap Hurdle.
And just for good measure the gelding's nine-length verdict over Deymiar proved to be Maguire's boss David Nicholson's 100th winner around the famous Prestbury Park circuit.
"It's great to get back amongst the winners," said a pleased Maguire. "I came back last Monday and I've had a few placed rides but the main thing about this winner is it's good to be associated with the Duke's 100th here."
Spendid returned to a warm reception from the crowd around the winner's enclosure and Nicholson appreciated the applause by doffing his trilby and saying: "Well, that's been a long time coming.
"I'm absolutely chuffed to bits to train 100 winners around here which is a great racecourse but even more proud that Adrian has ridden the horse that did the job."
Nicholson now joins the hallowed ranks of Fulke Walwyn, Fred Rimell, Fred Winter, Martin Pipe and Josh Gifford, who have all achieved a ton of winners at the course.
Montroe rattled off his fourth consecutive win when ploughing through the mud to take the Concord Filing Products Novices' Hurdle. The Richard Dunwoody-ridden grey was in command at the final flight where nearest pursuers Rossmore Girl and Ardent Scout came to grief, leaving Kinnahalla, to grab second place 10 lengths away.
"That was a good performance," beamed winning trainer Richard Rowe. Kim Bailey's Tidebrook made it five wins from six outings this season with a distance verdict over Mister Oddy for the Holman Cup Handicap Chase.
Norman Williamson always had the 11 to 10 favourite up with the pace before launching a challenge two out and quickly stretching into a clear lead.
Tidebrook's only defeat this season was at the Festival and Bailey said: "He was unlucky there as the ground was too fast for him and he will now go to Perth next week for the Little Bay Handicap Chase."
Mahler's victory in the Lloyds Bowmaker Corporate Finance Novices' Chase continued the good form of trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and jockey Carl Llewellyn.
The gelding led his rivals a merry dance and dug deep to regain the lead from favourite Mandys Mantino - after being headed two out - to gallop 16lengths clear.
"He's a funny horse," admitted Twiston-Davies. "We never know what he wants as he's been beaten on soft ground before but he will now go to the Punchestown Festival at the end of the month."
Ambiguous underlined the fabulous early season form of trainer David Loder with an all-the-way win at Ripon yesterday. Loder, on the mark with Diktat at Newmarket later in the day, has now had six winners from eight runners on the turf.
"The way our horses are running you have to fancy everything at the moment," said Loder's assistant Ricky Bowman.
Ambiguous, campaigned on the all-weather this winter, switched to the turf with good effect.
The 7 to 2 favourite was in front from the outset in the Cocked Hat Handicap and kept up the gallop under Gavin Faulkner to defeat Prince Batshoof by two and a half lengths.
"This horse has a high knee action which is why he's been on the all-weather," said Bowman.
"He can only run on turf when the going is soft but he is strengthening up and is improving all the time."
