< Our Monty won for the second time in four days to star in a double for trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh at Punchestown.

Despite carrying top weight of 12st that included a 6lb penalty for scoring at Limerick on Sunday, the six-year-old was sent off the 4-7 favourite against 24 rivals.

He was still 13lb better off than in future handicaps and it showed as he toyed with the opposition before winning hard held by four and a half lengths from Dafarabad < Aladdins Cave was third in the hands of Matt O'Connor, who was having his first ride since suffering serious head injuries in a fall seven months ago.

Mullins said: "It was nerve wracking as I hate coming back so soon with a horse but having 13lb in hand we had to.

"He's probably one of the sharpest jumpers of a hurdle I've had. I had thought about going back over fences but might reconsider that."

The Mullins/Walsh brace was sparked by Scholars Mate who was having his first run for Mullins and had been off the track since December 2007.

The 11-2 favourite led after the last to take the Come Racing Again Tomorrow Handicap Hurdle by two and a half lengths from Mull On The Run

The Jessica Harrington-trained Gimli's Rock (3-1) got off the mark over jumps with a smooth win in the Tote Sports Lounge 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle under Tom Treacy.

"He deserves that. We were sitting waiting on a bit of nice ground," said Harrington.

Cheltenham Festival winner Weapon's Amnesty was only third on his fencing debut behind 20-1 winner Copsiano trained by Mouse Morris, in the Ambassador's Beginners Chase.

Morris said: "I thought he might need the run as he needed oxygen last time but obviously he's come on.

"His jumping won it for him today."