Power Of Pause may have failed to win any of his three bumpers but he remains unbeaten over hurdles having shown a fine turn of foot to beat a decent field at Punchestown.
The meeting only got the go-ahead after three inspections, meaning the Irish Racing Industry Fundraiser For Children's Health Foundation Crumlin In Memory Of Pat Smullen Rated Novice Hurdle was run in thick fog.
What could be seen was Jessica Harrington's Crosshill shooting clear approaching the last and with a short run-in he seemed to have done enough.
Crosshill did not meet the last flight on a good stride, though, and David Mullins, riding Power Of Pause (6-1) for his uncle, Willie, sensed his chance.
Having pinged the last and landed running, he was almost on terms and in a matter of strides he had gone clear, winning by two and three-quarter lengths from the 6-5 favourite.
"He travelled and jumped well and is improving all the time," said assistant trainer David Casey.
"He won his point-to-point and then took a bit of time to get going in bumpers. I'd say going jumping has helped him and, having won a point-to-point, he's probably going to be a chaser down the road.
"David said he'd enough pace for that today, but he'd get two and a half miles."
Skyace continued her rags to riches story with a clear-cut success in the Listed Voler La Vedette Mares Novice Hurdle.
Bought for £600 having failed to win in three outings for Willie Mullins, the Shark Hanlon-trained mare was winning over hurdles for the fourth time.
A surprise 66-1 winner in Grade Three company at Down Royal last time out, the five-year-old was conceding weight to all her rivals as a result.
But that did not seem to matter in the slightest, as Jody McGarvey - who has struck up a good relationship with Hanlon's charge having been on board for all her wins - always looked confident.
Finest Evermore, trained by Mullins, was sent off the odds-on favourite but was beaten approaching the last as Skyace rewarded her supporters at 28-1, winning by five lengths with The Sliding Rock battling on for second past the market leader.
The winner was cut to 33-1 from 50s for the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
McGarvey said: "She's improving all the time, jumped beautifully and she stays well. She galloped right to the line and is getting better with every run."
When asked if this helped to prove last time was not a fluke, he added: "She won a maiden on the bridle, she won a novice hurdle on the bridle and she went to Down Royal and won a Grade Three. I don't know what more she has to do to prove to people that she's as good as she is."
