Solerina put up a brilliant front-running performance to give the Bowe family their fifth success in the Ballymore Properties Hatton's Grace Hurdle on a star-studded card at Fairyhouse today.
The seven-year-old mare won the Grade One contest 12 months ago, while her older stable companion Limestone Lad took the two-and-a-half-mile feature three times.
Gary Hutchinson sent Solerina straight into the lead and she was never threatened after jumping with her usual fluency, stretching clear on the run-in to score by six lengths from Brave Inca, who made several mistakes as he tried to keep tabs on the leader.
Solerina has now won 13 of her 18 starts over hurdles and the hugely popular performer received the loudest cheer of the day as she returned to the winner's circle.
Totesport were impressed and went 12-1 from 20s about her for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle. Coral were unchanged in leaving her at 16-1, while William Hill went 14s from 20s.
When asked about her chances of running in the hurdlers' crown, Michael Bowe, assistant to his trainer father James, said: "The ground would be the key. In this testing ground she can just run them off their feet.
"She got badly beaten over three miles before (when fourth in the Stayers' Hurdle) but she has enough toe for two miles if she gets her ground.
"She's a class filly and she seems to be better than ever this year. She is so independent, she just does it her own way."
Solerina could clash with reigning champion Hardy Eustace in the Giltspur Scientific Tara Hurdle at Navan two weeks today, which Bowe said might be her next target.
Barry Cash, who rode Brave Inca, said: "He'll be a lot sharper and jump better on nicer ground."
Limestone Lad is currently on the sidelines with an injury and Bowe added: "There is a problem there with a tendon and we'll possibly retire him."
In-form trainer Noel Meade dominated the other two Grade One contests, saddling a one-two in the Sharp Minds Betfair Royal Bond Novice Hurdle with Wild Passion and Rocket Ship, and sending out Watson Lake to take the Pierse Group Drinmore Chase.
Wild Passion proved three lengths too good for Rocket Ship but that does not tell the whole story as the eventual runner-up had just cruised up to challenge, under Niall "Slippers" Madden, at the second-last when he blundered his chance away, handing the initiative to his stable companion.
To his credit, Rocket Ship kept on but Paul Carberry and Wild Passion (6-1) had gained a decisive advantage which they maintained to the line.
Royal Paradise was third, a further three-quarters of a length away, but Total Enjoyment, the 5-4 favourite, dropped out very tamely in the straight to finish sixth.
Both Wild Passion and Rocket Ship were given a quote of 14-1 by Ladbrokes for the Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Meade said: "Slippers said he would have won if it hadn't been for the mistake.
"But Wild Passion is a real good one because he has the speed for two miles and he'll stay two and a half. He really gallops and is a special horse.
"Rocket Ship is a very good horse, too. He has a lot of speed. He was going very well when he made the mistake.
"I was disappointed when he got beaten in Naas where it was maybe too stiff for him on the heavy ground but we thought he was worth trying in this."
When quizzed about plans for the pair, Meade continued: "We all know where we want to go (referring to the Cheltenham Festival) so we'll see what happens before then.
"We'll try and keep them apart. Wild Passion could run at Leopardstown over Christmas and maybe Rocket Ship will go to England to get better ground but we'll go home and think about it."
Meade had been among a deputation of trainers and riders who on Saturday had complained about the fences being too stiff.
And Watson Lake was only given the go ahead to run after the County Meath-based handler had checked them over this morning following work done overnight by the Fairyhouse ground staff on the take-off boards.
He said: "The fences are stiff and I came here with the idea of not running him but fair play, they've worked all night and the fences have improved."
Once underway, Carberry soon had Watson Lake at the head of affairs and it was not long before he had most of his rivals in trouble. The free-running six-year-old shook off his nearest pursuer, Forget The Past, approaching the third from home but he hit the fence hard.
He went on to make a mistake at each of the last two obstacles but he had enough in reserve to hold on by three lengths from Forget The Past, who himself was far from foot perfect.
Watson Lake was a late replacement for his stablemate Mark The Man, who had scoped unsatisfactorily during the week, in the two-and-a-half-mile contest, as he had been due to be campaigned over shorter distances.
After greeting Watson Lake, who got a quote of 16-1 for the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Festival, Meade said: "I think we've proved one thing anyway and that is two miles is far enough for him.
"Paul said he just went tired on him. He was impeccable until he just got tired.
"We've been doing very little with him this year so he just might have been a little bit short.
"This fella will go for the two miler at Leopardstown over Christmas and I think he'd be better if he got a lead so he could relax."
Michael O'Brien, who trains the runner-up, was happy with his horse's effort.
He said: "It was a good performance after his mistakes against a good horse."