Rhinestone Cowboy was installed as the new favourite for the Champion Hurdle after scoring a impressively easy victory at Wincanton.

The Jonjo O'Neill-trained seven-year-old is now unbeaten over hurdles in all his four starts but this win marked a significant step up in class.

Among those left in his wake in the Axminster Kingwell Hurdle was reigning Champion Hurdler Hors La Loi III.

The eight-year-old, who has not won since his Cheltenham victory, ensured a good pace but he faded two out, leaving Thisthatandtother as Rhinestone Cowboy's only challenger.

Ruby Walsh and See More Business take the plaudits

Norman Williamson was cruising on Rhinestone Cowboy and had time to cheekily look around as his mount strolled to the line having barely broken sweat.

Trainer Jonjo O'Neill has always said that he would prefer to go for a novice hurdle at Cheltenham but a tilt at the Champion Hurdle now looks a certainty.

"I'll look forward to riding him wherever we go," said Williamson after the race.

Earlier, veteran See More Business had delighted the crowd by winning the Country Gentlemen's Association Chase for the second year in a row.

The 13-year-old, trained locally by Paul Nicholls, led from start to finish.

He is definitely a better horse this year than he was last year Paul Nicholls on See More Business

Jockey Ruby Walsh wound up the pace three fences out, drawing the sting out of favourite Iris Bleu and First Gold.

See More Business, who had been odds-on earlier in the day before drifting out to 7-4, was then able to coast home.

The former Gold Cup winner was immediately slashed from approximately 40-1 to 20-1 for this year's Cheltenham showpiece.

The richest and most prestigious race of the day was the Ritz Club Chase at Ascot, which was won by Tiutchev.

The Martin Pipe-trained 10-year-old is now among the leading fancies for the Queen Mother Champion Chase after a facile win.

Tiutchev won by 12 lengths

Under the guidance of champion jockey Tony McCoy, Tiutchev jumped into the lead four out and then cruised home for his second success in the Grade One race.

French raider Douze Douze was a huge disappointment, falling at the first fence.

The victory marked an 85-1 treble at the Berkshire course for Pipe and McCoy.

Earlier at Ascot, Keen Leader had replicated the bloodless victory of stablemate Rhinestone Cowboy in taking the Amlin Reynoldstown Novices' Chase.

The seven-year-old took full advantage of evens favourite Jair du Cochet unseating his rider at the fourth from home to win by a distance.

Keen Leader is now a short-priced favourite to win the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham.

Country Gentlemen's Association Chase
Wincanton, 3m 1�f

1 See More Business 7-4 (R Walsh)
2 Iris Bleu 13-8f (T Scudamore)
3 First Gold 9-4 (T Doumen)
5 ran. Dist: 9l, 1l

Axminster Kingwell Hurdle
Wincanton, 2m

1 Rhinestone Cowboy 8-11f (N Williamson)
2 Thisthatandtother 7-2 (R Walsh)
3 Hors La Loi III 10-3 (A Dobbin)
6 ran. Dist: 1�l, 14l

Amlin Reynoldstown Novices' Chase
Ascot, 3m �f

1 Keen Leader 11-10 (L Cooper)
2 Whereareyounow 33-1 (C Llewellyn)
4 ran. Won by a distance

Ritz Club Ascot Chase
Ascot, 2m 3�f

1 Tiutchev 15-8f (A McCoy)
2 Geos 11-2 (M Fitzgerald)
3 Tresor de Mai 12-1 (R Greene)
7 ran. Dist: 12l, 1�l