Montalbano completed a treble for Paul Townend, and a double for Willie Mullins, as he comfortably took the J.J. Burke's Peugeot Chase.

Last successful at Gowran in January, the chestnut son of Monsieur Bond fell on his most recent start at Listowel in June.

Given a break since then, he was expected to score this evening, going off the 4/7 favourite in the colours of Rich and Susannah Ricci.

Towards rear in the early stages, he improved into a closer second with a circuit to race, and got to the front at the second last.

He was pushed along after that fence, and extended his lead on the run-in, going on to score by nine lengths.

The front-running Velocity Boy (3s to 9/4 on-course) had to settle for second under Andrew Lynch for Willie Murphy, while Cloudy Day was forty-four lengths back in third.

Townend, who was earlier successful on Don't Hesitate and Grand Canyon said afterwards: "Andrew's (Velocity Boy) hadn't run in a while and he probably had a softish lead.

"I kinda was hoping down to the third last that I had him covered.

"I had to go around him - you don't go up Lynchie's inner too easy!"

Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy