Quevega defied a 296-day lay-off to storm to a second successive David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle.
Willie Mullin's mare annihilated her rivals in the Grade Two 12 months ago but she returned to Cheltenham without a run since last May. However, that did not stand in her way as she produced yet another superb performance to score by four and a half lengths and provide Ruby Walsh with his first winner of the week.
Despite her lack of runs the six-year-old was still sent off the 6-4 favourite and she stamped her class by cruising into contention on the run to the second last.
He had stalked Carole's Legacy and Voler La Vedette into the straight and when he finally asked his mount to go she quickened up with the minimum of fuss to put the race to bed.
When Quevega made her move Voler La Vedette tried to go with her but Barry Geraghty could not get the run out of his mount and it was Carole's Legacy that took second by a length and a quarter.
Sam Waley-Cohen sent Stravinsky Dancer into a commanding lead but the real race was behind him with all the leading fancies travelling well.
Carole's Legacy was prominent in the chasing pack along with Amber Brook and it did not take long for them to catch Stravinsky Dancer, who was eventually pulled up before the second last.
"We asked her a big question in the middle of her last bit of work, which is possibly where the adverse rumours came from," Mullins said.
"But she'd done a fantastic bit last Tuesday and our aim of having her ready for the day worked out beautifully.
"She could run in the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown and I would not be against taking her back to France."
Walsh added: "It's great to get a winner on the board and it's great to get it on the first day as it just takes the pressure off a bit.
"She had an off-day on her last run but any horse can have an off-day and before that she had won here and then finished third behind Solwhit and Punjabi at Punchestown, which is fair form.
"She's a great mare and I love riding her."