Britain's midwinter weather blues provided Aidan Coleman with a serendipitous victory in the keynote race at Market Rasen.
Coleman had been pencilled in to ride at Chepstow, but he was rerouted to Lincolnshire once that fixture went west after a bucket-load of overnight rainfall.
In truth, the ever-dependable rider did not need to play a starring role in the Weatherbys Hamilton Graduation Chase as Aso was an utterly worthy companion.
The Venetia Williams-trained six-year-old has made stealthy, rather than spectacular, progress since thoughts turned to chasing, but Coleman is convinced a high-water mark has yet to be achieved.
It is difficult to argue, as the 2-1 favourite took charge after Straidnahanna made a hash of the fourth-last fence and was good value for a length-and-three-quarters defeat of Ballyalton.
"He had three good runs over fences but it's taken a bit of time for his jumping to come together," said Coleman.
"This time he jumped very well, and that made the difference, but this step up in trip also helped."
Ian Williams was "very happy" with Ballyalton, who was not in love with the heavy ground yet galloped on purposefully late in the piece.
Nico de Boinville, like Coleman, also made it count on his only ride on the card as Paddy's Field nicely won the Walking The Courses Novices' Hurdle.
The Ben Pauling-trained six-year-old (3-1) banished memories of a last-flight fall on his hurdling debut at Uttoxeter with a muscular staying performance.
Frightened Rabbit was an encouraging second on his first try over jumps, but he was clinically outmanoeuvred along the run-in, with three and a quarter lengths the difference between the pair at the line.
Pauling said: "Stamina is his forte and we'll have to step up in trip now and run under a penalty. We've always thought a lot of him."
Dan Skelton's appraisal of Herons Heir was a little less effusive after the Highclere-owned eight-year-old overcame an awkward-looking mistake to win the Racing UK Winter Season Ticket Handicap Hurdle.
Ourmanmassini was given a lifeline when Skelton's inmate clouted the final flight, but the 2-1 favourite rallied earnestly for a three-and-a-quarter-length success under the trainer's brother Harry.
"It wasn't a pretty victory, but it was a victory nonetheless," said the Alcester handler.
"We'll probably stick to this sort of grade for now."
The Skeltons were denied a second winner an hour later as Thinger Licht found 8-1 chance Sunny Ledgend, trained by permit-holder Andrew Martin and ridden by his son James, too tough in the Racing UK-sponsored handicap chase.