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Harry Redknapp's The Jukebox Man rallied at the last to clinch a thrilling victory in the King George VI Chase.
The Group One race at Kempton Park went down to a photo-finish with last year's winner Banbridge and 9-4 joint-favourite Gaelic Warrior.
Owner Redknapp faced an anxious wait before the ex-Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham manager could celebrate winning the Boxing Day showpiece.
The trio went into the final jump of the three-mile race together, with The Jukebox Man coming down in third.
But Ben Jones led the 7-1 shot, trained by Ben Pauling, back between his two rivals.
Although the Joseph O'Brien-trained Banbridge (16-1) edged fractionally in front, Redknapp's charge dug deep to win by a nose, with Gaelic Warrior a similar margin back in third.
The victory was worth £142,375 to Redknapp, who was trembling as he spoke to ITV Racing moments after his winner was confirmed.
"It is a dream, to have a horse that good is unbelievable," he said. "I love the game that much.
"To come here on King George day and just run made me so proud, but to have the winner is special. I am so lucky."
Joint-favourite Jango Baie was a length back going into the final fence and was closing on the lead trio right up to the line.
"When they came to him, I thought he was beat and would finish fourth," said Redknapp. "But he's come again and the guts the horse has shown is just amazing.
"Everyone was jumping on me at the end and I didn't know I had won.
"It is right up there," added the 78-year-old. "Football's my life and when you are winning a cup final for the fans it's an incredible feeling.
"But we had a lot of support here today and I love the racing, I love the game, I love the people in it, so to have a winner on the big stage is fantastic."
Il Est Francais, who finished second to Banbridge last year, led for most of the race before The Jukebox Man moved to the front before the final bend.
The eight runners were tightly grouped as they straightened up for home and then four went clear, with The Jukebox Man emerging victorious.
It was a fourth straight win for the seven-year-old, a run which included victory here in last year's Kauto Star Novices' Chase.
"I thought I'd won by a head and didn't have anything to worry about it," said jockey Jones.
Trainer Pauling added: "It was an incredible race. It was always going to be a proper horse race but to turn in with as many in with a chance as there was, that was exceptional.
"For us, it's huge. I was delighted it was a proper ding-dong of a race, and you want to win the good ones.
"It's something very special. Harry has been an exceptional owner. I've always had huge faith in this horse and so has Harry.
"We've won Festival races and we've won Grade Ones, but this is the best we've achieved to date."
