Racing Pulse might finally be about to deliver on his earlier promise after winning the coral.co.uk Money Back If Your Horse Falls Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Chepstow.
Highly regarded in his novice hurdling campaign, he ran in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham for John Quinn before he was forced to miss all of last season.
Now with Rebecca Curtis, he had disappointed twice for her but stepped up in trip and on much softer ground, he slugged it out to beat favourite Subtle Grey by three and three-quarter lengths.
With Curtis' go-to jockey Paul Townend injured, fellow leading Irish pilot Johnny Burke stepped into his shoes to ride the 6-1 winner, but he was out of luck for the stable on Red Devil Lads in the Welsh National.
Burke said: "It was unfortunate to fall in the National, but great that I've had a winner. I actually saw this horse win his point-to-point and he looked like he'd be a good horse.
"I just needed to get him into a rhythm, which he eventually did, and he jumped brilliant. I'm only here because Paul Townend is injured, but I'm grateful to be given the chance by Rebecca."
Curtis said: "He had a small injury last year, but he came to me thinking he was a very good horse. His two previous runs were disappointing but we stepped him up in trip and it's worked."
The easiest winner of the day was the Venetia Williams-trained Otago Trail in the coral.co.uk Best Price Guaranteed On Horse Racing Handicap Chase.
Sent off the 6-5 favourite despite carrying top weight and having had just two runs over fences, Aidan Coleman came back in looking spotless as he sent his mount into an early lead, grinding his rivals into submission and coming home an eased-down 36-length winner.
It will be no surprise if he is back for the big one next year given how well he handled the ground.
Peter Bowen has had a relatively quiet season but Awaywiththegreys (10-1) repeated his victory of 12 months ago in the Coral Proud Supporters of British Horse Racing Handicap Hurdle off a 5lb lower mark.
Sean Bowen was positive and looked to have seen them all off but Moorlands Mist came with a late rattle, just failing by a short head.
"I think he was idling a bit as he'd been in front a while," said the younger Bowen.
"That's the best he's ever travelled and jumped. He loves it here and loves heavy ground, he just keep galloping."
The opening Download The Coral Mobile App Novices' Hurdle went the way of 9-4 joint-favourite Millanisi Boy. Richard Woollacott's charge had run well behind Unowhatimeanharry last time out and Harry Fry's charge was one of the favourites for the Lanzarote Hurdle before being taken out.
Winning rider Tom O'Brien said: "He's a decent horse. The main dangers had penalties and it's very hard to give weight on this ground.
"I wasn't going well enough to go after (long-time leader Never Equalled) any earlier but the weight told in the end. He had good form behind Unowhatimeanharry so was entitled to go well."
The Coral Fundraising For "Children With Cancer UK" Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race brought matters to a close and went the way of Nigel Twiston-Davies' Ballymalin (11-2) under Ryan Hatch.