Aran Concerto lived up to his star billing at Navan on Sunday with a dominant performance in the Barry & Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle.
Noel Meade's charge proved different class to his rivals in the Grade 1 contest, slamming Footy Facts by seven lengths.
Paul Carberry gave the striking son of Zaffaran a typically confident ride, settling at the back of the field early before delivering him three out.
The 4/5f jumped into the lead and the result was never in doubt. Carberry asked him to keep up to his work from the last and he responded well, staying on strongly to the line.
'He makes his own headlines. I don't have to say anything!' said Meade. 'He jumped brilliant and never put a foot wrong.
'He has great scope and is really a chaser but has gears. He got a bit tired today but the second horse is very good.
'He'll not run again until January. When they run in heavy ground they don't need to run again for a long time. It'll be a month or six weeks.'
The Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on February 10th was put forward as a possible target.
William Hill halved Aran Concerto in price for the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham (5/1f from 10/1) while Sean Grahams go 6/1.
Orbit O'Gold completed a quick double for the pair when claiming the Christmas Hurdle. Carberry sent his mount to the lead three out and he stayed on well to see off the challenge of Peoples Cause by three-and-a-half lengths.
Carberry was stood down for the rest of the day with a suspected fractured finger, suffered in a fall at Fairyhouse yesterday.
Meade was denied a treble in the concluding bumper when Shirley Casper just held the late flourish of 8/13f Mick The Man by the narrowest of margins.
Celestial Wave proved an ultra-game winner when making all in the Giltspur Scientific Tara Hurdle.
The mare kept pulling out more down the straight and fought doggedly to prevail by a length-and-a-half as Southern Vic threw down a late challenge.
'Timmy gave her a super ride - she's a game mare,' said Maguire. 'We've always held her in high regard - she's a superstar.
'She has been doing it over 2m2f and 2m4f and she wants every yard of three miles. She could go for the mares race at Leopardstown (29th December) that she won last year.'
Snowy Morning will be stepped up to Grade One company at Leopardstown over Christmas after opening his account over fences in the opening beginners chase.
Ruby Walsh sent his mount to the lead before the second last and he asserted after the last to score by 12 lengths from Be My Leader.
Pay To Production (8/1 to 7/2) landed a monster gamble when leading two out to land the Roast Turkey Handicap Hurdle.
