Irish banker Moscow Flyer led home and Irish 1-2 in the feature Queen Mother Champion Chase on day two of the Cheltenham festival today.
The Jessica Harrington-trained gelding took advantage at the second last when pace setters Latalomne and Seebald crashed out, leaving Barry Geraghty's mount in front.
The 7/4 favourite, who travelled well throughout, popped the last and raced up the Cheltenham hill ahead of the Arthur Moore-trained Native Upmanship (12/1) with Cenkos back in third.
"People kept saying 'you have the Irish banker this week', which was tough," admitted winning trainer Jessica Harrington.
"It's all well and good when you've got the owner wanting the best for his horse, but when you have the hopes of the entire Irish nation on your back it's a fair old responsibility!
"We will go to Punchestown next and stick to two miles with him."
In contrast to the trainer's fears, winning rider Barry Geraghty, who was scoring for the third time at the meeting, revealed he had been confident throughout.
"He only made that mistake at the last ditch because he was going too well," he said. "As soon as the other two horses fell, he pricked his ears and started to look at the crowd.
"I thought I had the measure of them all the way round. I was just swinging along and knew that once I pulled him out he couldn't be beaten. He jumps and travels and is simply a natural chaser.
Native Upmanship's connections were thriled with his effort as he and Cenkos filled the same placings as 12 months ago.
Moscow Flyer was immediately installed as 3-1 favourite to land back-to-back wins in the race next year by William Hill, who have Arkle Chase winner Azertyuiop next best at 5-1.
Hardy Eustace got the Irish off to a winning start when getting up to win the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle.
The Dessie Hughes-trained gelding (6/1) got the better of hot favourite Pizzaro and Lord Sam in third.
Hardy Eustace went ahead after jumping the penultimate flight and held on gamely under a strong ride from Kieran Kelly.
"He makes hard work of it but keeps pulling out more for you," said the jockey. "I was never really worried when I was after him so far out but that's the way he runs.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained Coolnagorna had finished second but was later disqualified by the stewards.
The officials interviewed Coolnagorna's jockey, Tony Dobbin, and Warren Marston, who rode fourth-placed Lord Sam, over possible interference at the second-last flight.
They subsequently disqualified the runner-up and moved Pizarro up to second and promoted Lord Sam (10-1) to third.
Dobbin was given a seven-day suspension (March 21-28) by the stewards after he was found to have caused intentional interference to Lord Sam approaching the second-last hurdle.
The Irish made it three out of four when Tony Martin's Xenophon, the 4-1 favourite, won the Coral Cup under Mick Fitzgerald.
The seven-year-old, who landed the valuable Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown in January, was travelling best of all on the run to the penultimate flight and, leading at the last, never looked in any danger on the flat.
Second was Martin Pipe's Samon (25-1), owned by soccer stars Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman, with Spectrometer (10-1) third and Emotional Moment (7-1) fourth.
Champion jockey Tony McCoy got off the mark for the Festival when Liberman justified strong support to land the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
The Martin Pipe-trained five-year-old, backed down to 2-1 favourite, was always prominent and resisted challenges from outsiders Trabolgan (50-1), Widemouth Bay (33-1) and Bold Bishop.
Phillip Hobbs and Richard Johnson, who teamed up to take yesterday's Smurfit Champion Hurdle with Rooster Booster, tasted Grade One glory again when One Knight produced a brave front-running performance to win the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
Sudden Shock turned over Martin Pipe's self-confessed "banker of the meeting" when getting up at the end of the four-mile National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup to beat Stormez.
Young Spartacus (16-1) defied an absence of 424 days to give Johnson his second winner of the day and third of the meeting in the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup.