Second at Punchestown on his return, the outing had clearly done Solwhit (4-5 favourite) the world of good as he cruised up to brave front-runner Whatuthink coming to the penultimate flight.

Davy Russell only had to give the signal for his mount to edge in front and although So Young tried to make a battle of it, Solwhit was in a different class and cruised home by four lengths.

Paddy Power make the Charles Byrnes-trained Solwhit a 10-1 chance from 18-1 for the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Byrnes said: ``I'm delighted to get him back. I have no real plans now - he'll be entered in the World Hurdle.

“It’ll be an option but I don’t know whether he’ll go or not. We might consider France as we’d be guaranteed soft ground there.

“He was well-in today so maybe we shouldn’t be getting too carried away. He travelled well though and he looks back to somewhere near his best.

“The ground has never been a worry with him. When he won at Aintree it was on the good side. I don’t think there’s anything for him between now and March.

“I had him entered in a Champion Hurdle trial today as well (at Haydock’s abandoned meeting). It’s on now at Doncaster in a week’s time but he won’t go there.

“It’s a pity they didn’t put it back another week as he was well-in there, getting 8lb off other graded horses.”