Ziga Boy put the gloss on an unforgettable day for Alan King as the talented grey fuelled Crabbie's Grand National dreams by winning the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.
The Barbury Castle handler had already secured a brilliant treble at Cheltenham before he claimed the feature race on Town Moor.
Sent on his way an 8-1 shot under Brendan Powell, Ziga Boy jousted for the lead with Aachen for a long way until the former took charge at the fourth-last.
Buywise and runner-up Coologue kicked on approaching the final fence, but Powell and his companion had enough momentum to score by three and a quarter lengths.
Speaking from Cheltenham, King said: "It's marvellous and Brendan has given him a hell of a ride.
"The ground is the key to this horse. Although it's pouring now, Doncaster missed the rain all week. He's progressive.
"He did exactly the same in a lesser race there last time out. He went up 15lb which he needed to get in this."
Powell said: "I got a great buzz out of that.
"There was loads of pace. I was quick out of the gates. Thankfully he had enough early pace to get a good position.
"I kept thinking we were doing a bit too much, but I told myself we had bottom weight and the way he won round here last time he'd have gained plenty of confidence from that. He saw it out well.
"He was so tough down that four-furlong straight in rain, sleet and wind.
"It's great to get a big winner."
Dan Downie, racing manager for Ziga Boy's owners Axom, said: "You'd have to start thinking of Aintree after that.
"He's won off 132 and will go up hopefully enough to get him in. He'll certainly like the better ground.
"Alan has always liked him but it just wasn't happening.
"After he had a hard race in the West Wales National at Ffos Las he lost a bit of interest.
"Something just clicked ran he ran here last time and the same tactics have worked again.
"The day Alan is having, he was a certainty!"
King also struck in the opening Philip Shackley 60th Birthday Celebration Handicap Hurdle with McCabe Creek (9-1) to provided a first winner for Jamie Insole, who lost an iron after the last.
Nicky Henderson's Vaniteux got back to winning ways in the Grade Two grand-national2016.co.uk Lightning Novices' Chase and was subsequently cut to around 8-1 for the Arkle.
Nico de Boinville hit the front early enough on the 6-4 chance but he held Arzal at bay by three and a quarter lengths.
Henderson said: "I'm not sure whether he wants another run or not, but we could sharpen him up a bit, either at home or with a racecourse gallop.
"My guess would be that he won't run again before Cheltenham as he has had three runs over fences already, which is just about par for the course."
