Allaho returned to winning ways when claiming victory in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles for a third time.
The Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old was successful in the two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two event in 2021 and 2022, but missed the entirity of last season through injury.
Having returned to action this term with a smooth triumph at Clonmel, he was beaten into third behind Hewick when favourite for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.
However, Allaho made all the running under Paul Townend to enjoy a straightforward 8-13 triumph here, seeing off stablemate Stattler by 13 lengths.
Assistant trainer Patrick Mullins said: "Allaho looked back to himself, having not quite got home in the King George.
"He isn't getting any younger, it took him a while to warm up into his jumping (at Kempton) and he is better going left-handed.
"Paul was a little worried that he got a hard race in the King George and was coming back quite quickly but the further he went, the better he travelled and jumped.
"He is a big big horse who likes better ground and going left-handed at Cheltenham suits him down to the ground. I'd imagine it is all roads back to the Ryanair (Chase) now.
"Today's race was a Grade One in all but name, with all being Grade One winners, so it is great for Thurles and it is a brilliant race to target every year."
Allaho's task was made all the more easier by the defection of Henry de Bromhead's Envoi Allen and Capodanno.
Their absence left just four runners, with Appreciate It rated the main danger at 11-4 and 6-1 chance French Dynamite making up the numbers for Mouse Morris.
Allaho did all that was asked of him, though, travelling strongly throughout and only having to be nudged out to draw clear of 20-1 longshot Stattler up the home straight, with Appreciate It a further 11 lengths back in third.
Mullins added: "It is brilliant run out of Stattler, he had just started to sparkle in the last month, so it is great he is getting back to form. He had lost his form completely after the Gold Cup, so now we can aim big with him again.
"Danny (Mullins, on Appreciate It) said he had a good position, travelled great but once they quickened he found nothing. It is disappointing, as I thought he'd be challenging Allaho. He wears a tongue-strap, so maybe nicer ground will help him."
High Class Hero looks likely to be part of Willie Mullins' Cheltenham Festival squad after making it five from five under Rules in the W.T. O'Grady Memorial Irish EBF Novice Hurdle at Thurles.
This race has been won by some smart performers in the past, with Gerri Colombe, Monkfish and The Storyteller on the roll of honour.
High Class Hero was a red-hot 2-7 favourite to join them after following up a Listowel bumper win with three victories over timber between early August and late October.
A break of 92 days since his last success at Limerick was a minor concern, but the son of Sulamani made light of that lay-off by tracking What Path and Easy Fella before easing smoothly between the pair after the second last, going on to oblige by a comfortable length and three-quarters from the latter.
Winning jockey Paul Townend said: "He settled relatively well, it turned into a dash off the final bend and he made up a lot of ground when we quickened. The conditions are testing, we didn't go quick early and it was like what he did at Limerick.
"He hadn't gone anywhere (from Mullins' yard) since his last run but just hadn't run in a while, so on the whole I'm very happy and he is progressing.
"I think he has enough runs, which is a help going for the Albert Bartlett (Novices' Hurdle) and he has the right attitude as well."
David Christie's Ferns Lock cruised to victory in the Carey Glass Hunters Chase, having hacked up by 20 lengths in the same race 12 months ago.
This year, he had eight lengths in hand over Romeo Magico at the finish, but Barry O'Neill enjoyed another armchair ride and could easily have extended that advantage on the 8-15 favourite.
"He had to give away 7lb and 10lb and in that ground that is very tough. The only time he has ran on nice ground was here last year and while everyone thinks he is a big, strong horse who likes soft, he is a beautiful mover who wants better ground," said Christie.
"After finishing races on heavy ground last year, he would make a palate noise but it was nothing major so we put on a tongue-tie as a safeguard. On nicer ground he wouldn't really need it but I'll leave it on as he is happy and relaxed with it.
"Cheltenham is his goal, he is coming on all the time and I'm hoping he'd step up from that again now.
"He has an awful size of an engine but is very immature, although is learning in every race. We'll build for Cheltenham now."
Purse Price (7-4) showed a smart turn of foot to land the Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle in emphatic fashion for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy.
Kennedy said: "It was a weak maiden hurdle but she had been consistent and did it well today. It looked a nice opportunity, so it was good to get her head in front.
"She travelled, jumped well and put the race to bed - it all went to plan. Hopefully there will be another race or two to be won with her and she can also get confidence from today."
Falco Blitz (16-1) came with a smooth, late surge to land the Duggan Veterinary 4Cyte Handicap Chase under a confident ride by Conor McNamara for his father Eric.
The latter said: "I'm delighted for (owner) Shane Carmody, who is a great supporter of ours, so that winner means an awful lot to me. I'm really delighted to win for him.
"The horse had been a solid, consistent horse who deserved his day and thankfully it came. He was bought the same day as Real Steel (Paddy Power Chase winner) but unfortunately took longer to win. He has been a solid and sound horse, though.
"If he hadn't won today, we were thinking of the veterans' chase at Limerick in a month's time but he is entered in the Leopardstown Chase, so we can think bigger now - if you're not in, you can't win."
Little Mixup (12-1) was another to come through in the latter stages when securing his fourth career victory in the Horse & Jockey Handicap Hurdle under Mark McDonagh, giving trainer Denis Hogan a welcome boost following a recent suspension.
"I thought the handicapper had this lad and I asked him to drop the horse a pound to get him into a 0-116, but it looks like he was right," said Hogan. "The race cut up though - the favourite tipped up and it probably wasn't the strongest race."
He added: "I have to thank all the owners who all stood by me (during the suspension), as it was a tough end to the year. It was messy and I advised owners to send horses here and there, and thankfully I got them back."
