Visions of the Cheltenham Festival came flooding back as Faugheen made it back-to-back success in the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
While defeat to his stablemate Nichols Canyon at Punchestown on his seasonal return showed he is not infallible, the seven-year-old answered those that questioned him in impressive fashion, a dopting the same front-running tactics that served him well in winning the Champion Hurdle in March.
Although flicking through the top of the odd hurdle on his way to victory, the Willie Mullins-trained 1-4 favourite was pretty flawless in the jumping department with Ruby Walsh cutting out a confident figure throughout.
Despite being in the driving seat from off, it was not until late on that Faugheen exercised his class and power with The New One, Hargam, and Sign Of A Victory all stacked up in behind seemingly full of running on the turn for home.
Those challenges amounted to little, though, as within a matter of strides Faugheen raced through the gears from cruise control to flat out, leaving his rivals floundering.
Flying over the last two hurdles Faugheen needed only to be pushed out before being eased down on the run-in to score by seven lengths from The New One, who filled the same spot in 2013. Hargam was a further three-quarters of a length away in third.
Faugheen was cut to 4-5 to retain his Champion Hurdle crown by William Hill, Paddy Power and RaceBets. Coral were even more impressed in going 4-6 for the blue riband.
Mullins said: "He did it well, did everything right and I'm very pleased with him. It was a bit of a surprise what happened at Punchestown, but Ruby took the bull by the horns today and it worked. He jumped well. I don't know where next, it could be straight to Cheltenham, as that would work for me.
"It was maybe tactics at Punchestown, as Ruby didn't want to get into a battle."
For the winning rider it was the move turning in that he felt was decisive in securing victory.
Walsh said: "We went a good gallop, when I gave him a squeeze turning in he started to extend and when I really got hold of him going to two out he pinged it. He quickened really, really well. It was a really good performance. I'm delighted. The turn of foot he showed today at the second-last he didn't show at Punchestown.
"When all is said and done he has beaten those, whether he's capable of beating Nichols Canyon only time will tell."
Winning owner Rich Ricci was of the opinion that his star hurdler was back where he wanted him to be, but warned there is more to come.
He said: "I hope he's back, visually that was what we wanted to see today, that kind of performance. You can't help but be disappointed with what happened the last day, you just tip your hat to the team but today he's 15 kilos lighter and still has condition on him.
"We'll see where he goes from here, but he usually gets better as the season goes on. I'd be happy to run him again (before Cheltenham), so I'll talk to Willie."