Iris's Gift avenged last year's narrow defeat at the hands of French ace Baracouda in a thrilling renewal of the bonusprint.com Stayers' Hurdle.

Barry Geraghty went hard for home approaching the last, although defending champion Baracouda was in his slipstream.

They both jumped the last hurdle well, but Iris's Gift (9/2) dug very deep and would not be denied, prevailing in the end by one and a half lengths.

Crystal D'Ainay was fully 13 lengths further back in third.

Solerina took the field along at a good pace as soon as the tapes went up, but she made a mistake three out, where Iris's Gift was going well.

Thierry Doumen had all the while been edging Baracouda closer and the race was between the pair after the second-last.

Geraghty really made up his mind to stretch the Frenchman, though, and he had plenty left for the run-in after making sure he negotiated the last safely.

``You had to fancy him when you saw the size of him,'' Geraghty told Channel 4.

``I thought we might get beat going to the last, but pulled away again, and that is the difference a year makes.

``He was only beaten three parts of a length then and has strengthened up a lot.''

O'Neill added: ``It was a tremendous race, a great battle and two great horses.

``He's had a few problems early on in the season but he had a fair old campaign last season and we thought we would take it easy and get him right.

``A bit of panic set in after Christmas, but anyway we got him back and he ran a great race at Haydock.

``I saw Baracouda coming down to the second-last and I thought he might have a bit more speed than we had, but he is so tough.''

A tearful Francois Doumen was too upset to speak in the aftermath of the defeat of his great Baracouda.

But Robert Thornton, who rode Crystal D'Ainay, said: ``He jumped and travelled and has run a good race.

"He will be better with the summer on his back and there is more to come from him.''

Trainer Alan King added: ``He was beaten by two better horses today, but hopefully we will be back next year for another crack it.

``We will see how he is. There is a three-mile race at Liverpool, but that is only two weeks away.

``We have a lot to look forward to with him next season, but he will stay hurdling.

"He won a chase as a three-year-old, so he can't go novice chasing, and we will go the Stayers' Hurdle route.

"I think there is a lot of improvement to come.''

Gary Hutchinson, who rode Solerina to finish fourth, said: ``She has run an absolute cracker against the best in England, Ireland and France.

``I'm not 100% sure if she got the trip, but she has run her heart out.''

Michael Bowe, son and assistant to Solerina's trainer James Bowe, said: ``I am delighted with her. It was her first race over three miles. I think she just got the trip, but that is as good as she is.

``She's probably better over two and a half, but there is no race over that trip at Cheltenham.

"That's been the problem with Limestone Lad, too. She'll probably go to Punchestown and we'll give Aintree some thought.''