Willie Mullins' exciting four-year-old Ut De Sivola maintained his unbeaten record over jumps with a dramatic victory in the feature race at Punchestown.
Ruby Walsh was always travelling sweetly on the 1-4 favourite in the Visit punchestown.com Juvenile Hurdle and all seemed to be going to script when he swept into the lead on the home turn in company with Hisaabaat
But they were still locked together at the final flight and it might well have been a close-run thing had Dermot Weld's challenger not made a complete hash of the obstacle before going down by three and a quarter lengths.
Mullins and Walsh were unlucky not to add to their gains when Allure Of Illusion could not get to 11-10 favourite Joxer in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle.
The runner-up was badly hampered by the fall of Downthescad at the fourth-last, where Bryan Cooper gained several lengths on Bill Harney's charge and kept going to score by a length.
The Noel Meade-trained Ipsos Du Berlais (9-4), who was third in Grade One novice company last time, stayed on stoutly to win a fascinating contest for the Noel Farrelly Memorial Hurdle.
Davy Russell had to get to work some way out as Western Leader took them along, but he ranged up to the leader in the straight and took charge nearing the final flight to score by six and a half lengths.
Robbie Power sent Carloswayback past the front-running Gates Of Rome on the run to the last and Paul Nolan's 11-4 shot went clear to win the 49 Euro Punchestown Hospitality Beginners Chase by a comfortable four lengths.
Trainer-rider Denis Hogan notched up another winner when Drive On Jim (8-1) took over from Miss Pepperpot on the home turn in the Racing UK Handicap Chase and strode clear to score by six and a half lengths.
