Pairofbrowneyes made light of an absence of 252 days when scooting home in the two mile handicap hurdle at Punchestown.

Liz Doyle’s five-year-old gelding made headway to lead at the last as The Herds Garden weakened out of contention. At this stage Pivot Bridge looked a serious threat as he moved into second on the outside.

However, Pairofbrowneyes got away smoothly from the final flight and stayed on stoutly to score by a length and a quarter at 7/1. Pivot Bridge took second at 9/1, having been backed at 12s this morning. Black Spot On (7/2) kept on to take third.

Liz Doyle said: “I thought he’d win and I felt he was my best chance of the weekend. He was on the bridle the last day, but just didn’t get home. He just wanted to be dropped back in trip.

“He was spot on today and off a mark of 114 I thought he had to win. He’ll go for something nice after Christmas. It just took the trainer a while to work out his trip.”

Jockey Mikey Fogarty added: “His jumping won it for him. He stuck it out from the last.” Sir Ector was sent off the 10/3 favourite, but was never in the hunt as he raced in rear and came home last of the 10 runners.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee