A review of the rest of the action from Cheltenham as Kalondra and Gino Trail earned victories for Neil Mulholland and Kerry Lee respectively.
Kalondra took a marked step forward after he sprang a surprise with an impressive success in the two-mile-five-furlong Ryman Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Despite being sent off the 10-1 outsider of four, the Neil Mulholland-trained six-year-old put in a near foot-perfect round of jumping to cross the line three and three-quarters of a length clear of Coo Star Sivola.
Mulholland said: "The race last time (at Wincanton), the pace didn't suit him. At least there was a little bit of pace there and thankfully it worked out well.
"I think at the moment that's his trip as that is what he has been running at over hurdles.
"He likes to come off a nice strong pace. Noel (Fehily) said he warmed up nicely.
"He might go to the JLT and we could look at that."
Gino Trail held of all challengers to claim a game front-running success in the Junior Jumpers Handicap Chase.
The Kerry Lee-trained 10-year-old, who won at Wetherby on his penultimate start, maintained a good gallop from the outset before battling on bravely to repel Bun Doran by a length and a quarter in the hands of Harry Skelton.
Lee said of the 7-2 winner: "Jamie Moore is his usual partner but he had to stay true to Sire De Grugy (sixth) and I fully advocate that.
"I decided to pick the best that was going on the day and you can't knock a guy who has ridden 101 winners. What a fantastic ride he has given him.
"We have been under a foot of snow and I've not been able to put the piece of work I wanted to him on Tuesday but I thought he was fit enough to come here.
"I am not making any silly spring targets for a horse that turns 11 next month."
Kilbricken Storm wore down the front-running Count Meribel to claim top honours in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
Just four runners went to post for the three-mile Grade Two and 7-4 favourite Count Meribel to make every yard in the hands of Mark Grant.
Nigel Twiston-Davies' charge remained in front rounding the home turn, but Colin Tizzard's Kilbricken Storm was in his slipstream and although he hung across the track after the final flight, he was quickening all the time and passed the post two and three-quarter lengths clear under Harry Cobden.
Tizzard said: "If he stayed (three miles) we thought he would go well as he is a good horse over two miles.
"He is a six-year-old against these younger ones and he is ever so laid back and has kept on going. He kept hanging and I was amazed how far he went over.
"He cost £21,000 at the Doncaster Sales and he has just won at Cheltenham. It is lovely to do that. I never thought he would do this. I thought he would be a nice little handicapper.
"Obviously we will run him again somewhere, we might run him twice. We don't want to leave him all season to finish 10th at the Festival as there are nice pots about."
Dan and Harry Skelton combined to land the concluding OLBG Mares' Handicap Hurdle with 7-2 joint-favourite Momella.
Runner-up to the high-class On The Blind Side here last month, the five-year-old looked set to win comfortably after she travelled smoothly into the lead.
Momella was, however, made to pull out all the stops to see off River Arrow by half a length.