Grand National favourite and Cheltenham Gold Cup hopeful Haiti Couleurs won on his hurdling return at Newbury on Thursday.
Rebecca Curtis' horse landed the National Hunt Chase and Irish Grand National as a novice last season and defied any rustiness to score at the first time of asking under Sean Bowen this campaign.
Sent off at 17/2 under top weight from a hurdling mark of 145 in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle over three miles, he stayed on strongly to beat Bill Baxter by a length and a half in good style.
Bowen said afterwards: "He's a pleasure to ride, he just jumps and stays. Put three miles and some jumps in front of him and he's a different horse. We really wanted to get a prep run into him before any big targets.
"He's still got some weight to lose and I didn't touch him, he's won easily. We'll wait and see how the races cut up and see where he goes."
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Curtis couldn't say definitively where he would go next, but admitted she is leaning towards the Betfair Chase at Haydock over the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, largely down to potential ground conditions.
She said: "I hoped he'd finish in the first five but he's still improving.
"There's so many pros and cons to both races. Our plan was the 'Hennessy' but it's good to firm out there on the chase track. The Betfair is tempting, it's only two and a half weeks away. We'll chat with the owners and see what they want to do, but we're leaning that way (Haydock) now."
Longer term, the Cheltenham Gold Cup is the dream target.
"I love the way he's improved and you've seen how tough he is. That's what you need for a Gold Cup, he gallops and he stays."
Paddy Power went 7/1 from 10s about Haiti Couleurs for the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 22.
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