Gordon Elliott had one of the easiest Cheltenham winners ever with a horse formerly owned by the Queen.
Pied Piper stormed into contention for the JCB Triumph Hurdle with a hugely impressive win at the track.
In response bookmaker Paddy Power made the four-year-old their new favourite for that race at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.
The firm go 5-2 (from 9-1) that the horse, owned by The Queen until October 2021, can follow up at the huge March fixture.
Before Saturday's race, Elliott, who has served a ban from the sport, had the market leader Fil D'Or.
That horse's price eased to 4-1 (from 3-1) with the same firm – and both hold unbeaten records with just over six weeks to go.
Pied Piper was ridden with supreme confidence by Davy Russell in the trial for the main event.
Positioned behind the leaders, one by one their rivals came under pressure, but the jockey was sitting motionless.
He hardly had to ask Pied Piper a question as the son of Derby winner New Approach pulled clear.
The 11-8 favourite crossed the line nine lengths ahead of 50-1 outsider Moka De Vassy.
Iceo, Pied Piper's main rival according to the pre-race odds, could only finish fourth.
Russell told Racing TV: "He's a grand horse, he's improved plenty and we always thought he'd improve from Punchestown. The ground is on the slow side, it's lovely ground, it wasn't an issue.
"Not really (surprised at how well he travelled into it), he's a nice horse. I really don't know what Gordon has in mind for him, there's loads of options.
"He was immature the last day and he made a slight mistake out the back but he figured it out very quickly so he's quite intelligent you know."
Pied Piper, who won his only prior start over hurdles, ran 11 times for The Queen on the Flat.
He took two races at Newmarket and Leicester when trained by John Gosden.
Sold to go juvenile hurdling, he cost current connections, owners Caldwell Construction Ltd, around £225,000.
