Tom Taaffe’s 14-1 scorer was roared home under Paddy Flood as he put a length and a half between himself and the staying-on Mirage Dore.

Taaffe, son of Arkle’s rider Pat Taaffe, said of his Dermot Cox-owned winner: “If he goes anywhere, Dermot will want him to run at Punchestown.

“Dermot masterminded the development of that course, but my feeling is that we’ll pack the horse away and bring him back over fences next season.

“It’s a staying family, and that has always been the plan for him.”

For Taaffe, there was a certain poignancy about the triumph.

He added: “Any time you are lucky enough to have a winner at Cheltenham it’s a great day.

“But I said after Kicking King’s Gold Cup I’d like to target some of the smaller races and we are certainly getting there.”

The winner’s circle was surrounded by a sea of happy Irishmen after Dunguib put the icing on the Irish cake with a stunning victory under Brian O’Connell in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

Philip Fenton’s well-supported 9-2 chance simply oozed class as he cantered all over the favourite Rite Of Passage.

It was simply a matter of when O’Connell wanted to let off the brakes and, once given an encouraging nudge, Dunguib powered clear to score by 10 lengths, with Some Present edging out Rite Of Passage into second place.

O’Connell reported: “He travelled very easily and settled well so that I was only a passenger.

“He’s undoubtedly the best horse I’ve ever ridden.”

Fenton, posting a first Festival win, observed: “When he did hit the front, he really stretched and my feeling is that will be it for the season.

“We won’t be going to Punchestown and it will be hurdling next year. Hopefully we might bring him back here again next year for the two-mile race (Supreme). He’s something to look forward to.”

Silk Affair clocked up a fourth consecutive victory in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

The 11-1 shot, trained in Newmarket by Mick Quinlan, was settled in midfield by Tom O’Brien and willingly picked up the favourite Alexander Severus.

He then strode away to beat Ski Sunday and Saticon by three lengths and three-quarters of a length respectively.

Noel Quinlan, assistant and brother to the winning trainer, said: “Last year we spent a lot of time chasing black type on the Flat, running in races like the Irish Oaks, as she’d been rated 94 as a two-year-old.

“My only worry was that the ground might have been drying out, but Tom has a cool head and rode a good race.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if she came back as a David Nicholson mare or a contender for the World Hurdle.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies was swamped amidst the many owners of Tricky Trickster after the 11-1 chance emerged a 10-length winner of the National Hunt Chase under Sam Waley-Cohen.

Tricky Trickster carries the silks of the Million in Mind Partnership and, according to syndicate policy, will go under the hammer at the Doncaster May Sale.

In the meantime, local trainer Twiston-Davies plans to run him in the Scottish National.

He said: “Ayr would be the next thought.

“He’s going to be sold, but hopefully the new owner will send him back to me.”