Nigel Twiston-Davies sampled his first championship-race success at the Cheltenham Festival through Imperial Commander in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday.
Although he has sent out Grand National winners, and plenty of major ones at this course from his base a few miles down the road at Naunton, the showpieces have slipped his grasp.
The Ryanair was only introduced in 2005 and essentially not as prestigious as the other afternoon highlights.
But it is now the supreme title for two-and-a-half milers and shares Thursday's top billing with the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.
Robert Thornton recovered from a battering on Wednesday to reunite with the 4-5 favourite Voy Por Ustedes - for whom this race appeared ideal.
The pairing were going well until a terrifying moment at the top of the hill where he got underneath the fence and landed very steeply.
Vor Por Ustedes righted himself and was back in contention turning for home, but Imperial Commander (8-1) rarely disappoints on his own favourite hunting ground and jumped impeccably.
Paddy Brennan gave him a similarly positive ride to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup from Barbers Shop last November and was reluctant to yield to anyone.
Schindlers Hunt was in the thick of things, too, but Imperial Commander could not be passed and finished two lengths clear, with Voy Por Ustedes coming back to reclaim second.
Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "He just gallops and jumps and he kept pulling out more.
"I was a bit worried because he hadn't run for a long time and I thought they might catch him out.
"But he was brilliant and he could definitely come back next year for the Gold Cup as he won that race by staying.
"I don't think an extra half mile will hurt."
Imperial Commander faded to sixth on his latest outing in the King George VI Chase and still holds an entry in the Grand National.
The trainer added: "I'll have to talk to the owners - he won't get a weight like that again (for Aintree).
"The track at Kempton doesn't suit him. He took on Kauto Star and he was the only one who was making a race of it.
"That tells a story and maybe he wasn't quite at his best either. He certainly was today.
"We couldn't find the right race with the right ground at the right time after that.
"I thought about the Gold Cup this year but just felt Kauto and Denman had it between them, but my horse will improve."
With Tricky Trickster also winning for Twiston-Davies at the meeting, he has hit form again after a slump since the early part of the season.
He reasoned: "I have only got 75 horses - the others have hundreds - and you can't just keep on winning, winning, winning.
"They all go up in the handicaps or penalties and I am not bringing out new horses.
"These are not expensive horses, they're cheap."
Brennan added: "I opened my mouth after he won the Paddy Power when I said how good he was, and I'm just so glad he's proved me right.
"It's been a frustrating year but, I promise you, this is worth 40 winners.
"Choc (Thornton) came alongside me turning in and I could see he wasn't travelling great.
"But I was really happy because I felt he would stay up the hill.
"To win at Cheltenham is so exciting - you just take it all in."
Voy Por Ustedes was continuing a frustrating run of Cheltenham seconds and thirds for Alan King, who said: "It could be worse, couldn't it?
"We will hopefully get a winner before the end of the week and they are running well, it's when they tail off you start worrying.
"I think the mistake hasn't helped - it happened at the wrong time.
"Choc was very happy with him until then but there you are, they are there to be jumped and he didn't today.
"We'll freshen him up and go to Aintree."
Dessie Hughes said of Schindlers Hunt: "We were quite hopeful between the third-last and second-last, but the hill just found him out and the ground was tacky enough for him.
"He's improved and good ground would help him at Punchestown where I will run him over two and a half miles."
Tidal Bay got his act together far too late for fourth but handler Howard Johnson reported: "I am over the moon. He has run up the hill like a rocket.
"Considering the problems he had in the build-up, he has run a great race.
"He will go for the Melling at Aintree and I think you will see a different horse there."
Last year's winner Our Vic dropped away and was pulled up.
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