Jim Culloty ensured he will not solely be remembered as the man who partnered Best Mate to win three Gold Cups after he sent out Lord Windermere to RSA Chase glory at Cheltenham.
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By his own admission Culloty's fledgling training career had got off to a slow start - but now he has a top-class horse on his hands.
Culloty said he had been training Lord Windermere with this race in mind for the past 18 months and even resisted bringing him to last year's Festival, so as not to give him too hard a time over hurdles.
This winter had been all about getting experience into the seven-year-old and Culloty was adamant he would improve for the step up to three miles and for racing on better ground.
Luckily for him the ground had dried up a touch after the rain late last week and that seemed to be the defining factor.
Willie Mullins' Boston Bob hit the front before turning into the straight and appeared to have the others in trouble.
But his stride was beginning to shorten when he took a tired fall at the last when still a length in front of Lyreen Legend and Lord Windermere.
Culloty's new star had a scare at the third-last when he stumbled on a road crossing which cost him his position on the rail.
That forced Davy Russell to swing wide into the straight and having joined Lyreen Legend at the last he stayed on powerfully to record a one-and-three-quarter length win over his fellow Irish raider.
Nicky Henderson's Hadrian's Approach was six lengths away in third, but the Paul Nicholls-trained 5-2 favourite Unioniste was never really a factor.
"We knew this horse would like Cheltenham and it's all paid off," said Culloty.
"I fancied him like mad - I thought he'd love the ground here. I told Davy to ride him to get the trip. They went no pace and it suited us.
"He's the best horse I have and it was all about getting him here. Tom Doyle (recently-retired former jockey) deserves a lot of the credit, he's taught him well and the first time he rode him he said to me 'This is the one you've been waiting for'."
Asked what it felt to train a Festival winner having ridden Best Mate to three Gold Cup triumphs, Culloty said: "You get nervous 30 minutes before going out to ride in a Gold Cup, but I have been nervous for the last six months with this lad.
"I have 13 boxes and he is in box 11, and when I work my way down to him on a morning I just pray that he is OK.
"I wouldn't have thought he would run again this year, we purposely hadn't run him over three miles on heavy ground but he will have had a hard enough race today.
"As for next year, he might start off in something like the Hennessy.
"I'm so pleased for Dr (Ronan) Lambe (owner) as he's been a huge supporter of mine."
When asked if Lord Windermere was a possible Gold Cup contender next season, Dr Lambe said: "You'd hope so. He's a beautiful jumper and three miles is his distance."
Russell said: "I've only ridden him once at home, so all the credit goes to Jim Culloty, who has instilled confidence in him.
"I had loads of horse left under me and he just idled in front.
"I was almost upsides Boston Bob when he fell and I'm pretty sure I'd have got past him.
"The race panned out fine but I took a false step on the road and then got stuck behind Tom Scudamore (on Goulanes) a bit longer than I wanted.
"Jim filled me with confidence and he knows exactly what it takes to win around here."
Trainer Dessie Hughes said of runner-up Lyreen Legend: "I was very pleased. He was beaten by a better horse on the day.
"If the ground had been heavier it might have suited us more, but no complaints."
Paul Nicholls said of Unioniste, who finished fourth: "He didn't jump as well as he might have done.
"He's been running on soft ground during the winter and they went a bit quick for him.
"He's a horse who will get stronger and might be a Hennessy type next year."
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