Faugheen survived a couple of jumping blunders to run out a convincing winner on his chasing bow at Punchestown.
The 2015 Champion Hurdle hero was making his first start over fences at the age of 11 in the Naas Oil Beginners Chase after an indifferent season over hurdles last term, but punters kept the faith with Willie Mullins' runner and he was sent off the 8-11 favourite.
Paul Townend was happy to let Faugheen bowl along in front and everything appeared to be going swimmingly for the nine-times Grade One winner until he came to the eighth fence.
He met the obstacle all wrong, but Townend somehow managed to maintain the partnership and recover his lost irons in time to jump the next, but Lord Schnitzel had powered through to take control.
Faugheen then pecked on landing at the third-last fence and it looked as though he may have forfeited any chance of a win.
However, his class came to the fore and he cleared the final two fences without incident to win by an impressive seven and a half lengths. Walk Away was second, with Lord Schnitzel in third.
Elsewhere on the card, Mullins won a 10th Unibet Morgiana Hurdle as Saldier emerged best of his three runners.
Stablemate Klassical Dream was the leading two-mile novice last term and after winning at Cheltenham and Punchestown in the spring, he was sent off the 2-5 favourite on his return.
In contrast, Saldier (7-1) was having his first run since he fell when seemingly travelling better than subsequent ill-fated Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D'Allen last November.
He suffered a broken nose and was given plenty of time to heal - making his return from 371 days on the sidelines here.
Everything seemed to be going to plan for Klassical Dream as he tracked Petit Mouchoir into the straight, with Saldier coming under pressure.
However, when Paul Townend pressed the button on Klassical Dream, there was little response and Saldier swept by to win by a length and a half.
