Our Power wore down Flegmatik to win the Coral Trophy at Kempton for Sam Thomas and Sam Twiston-Davies.
In a race run at a stiff tempo set by Annsam, Twiston-Davies was happy to bide his time on the eight-year-old winner.
Third in the race 12 months ago, he was racing off a mark 5lb higher having won his only other start this season at Ascot.
He looked to face a stiff task turning into the straight, as Harry Skelton was sat motionless on Flegmatik, chasing his third win at the track.
When asked to go and win his race, however, he could never completely put the race to bed and Our Power (11-2) was always close enough if good enough.
Twiston-Davies got a big leap out of his mount at the last and he landed with momentum, which enabled him to win by a neck.
Top-weight Frodon ran another thoroughly creditable race back in third.
It was another feature handicap chase for Sam Thomas who won the Becher Chase with Al Dancer and the Classic Chase at Warwick with Iwilldoit.
The winner is now 10-1 from 16s with Betfair for the Ultima at Cheltenham.
"I'm so pleased for Dai (Walters), James and Jean Potter (owners) who are unswerving supporters of the game," said Twiston-Davies
"He was fantastic early in the season when he won at Ascot.
"This was only his second run of the season and it's a fair training performance to win a £100,000 handicap and then this.
"I was only ever three deep at worst and he's such an economical jumper. I thought halfway down the back he would keep getting there and in the straight he was very good coming between horses. He's not the biggest, but he has scope and can go in and out.
"He's the right type for the National and I feel now would be the right time. But he's on 63 (in list of runners) so would need a few to come out.
"He's an accurate jumper and can also be quite bold. I think he's got what it takes for the National and it would be great for Sam who is a good friend and a very good trainer."
Thomas – who along with Walters was involved in a helicopter crash last year – said: "The horses have been wrong since November time. Credit to the team and the owners for being very patient as it has been a tough few months. It is good to be back on the scoresheet and this is a nice race to win.
"I've got no real faith in the runners at the moment just with how the form of the yard is. However, this lad stays forever. I was a bit worried down the back straight but when I saw him turning in, I was quietly confident.
"Although it was a sharp three miles we know he stays well and I was hopeful he would get there in the end, but a lot had to be taken on trust with how the horses have been performing.
"He would have run in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury but he had a little setback and we had no other option but to train him for this, which is a fantastic race itself."
He added: "I'd say he would be doubtful to get in at Aintree so it will be Cheltenham for the Ultima, then he will either go for the Scottish National or the bet365 Gold Cup."
