Ain't That A Shame secured the big prize he has long promised in an attritional renewal of the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park.
Having been placed in the Munster National at Limerick and the lucrative Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown last season, Henry de Bromhead's charge was a leading fancy for the Grand National at Aintree last spring but trailed home last of 17 finishers.
That effort looked to have taken its toll on the Robcour-owned 10-year-old, as he was well held in the Kerry National on his first start of the current campaign and then pulled up in the Troytown at Navan, but he bounced back to his best to plunder one of the Irish calendar's feature handicaps in Kilkenny.
A 14-1 shot in the hands of Rachael Blackmore, Ain't That A Shame initially raced in midfield before taking closer order with a circuit to run.
He moved to the lead travelling strongly in the home straight and although he was briefly headed by Glengouly on the run-in, Ain't That A Shame fought back to plunder the lion's share of the €100,000 prize fund by two and a half lengths.
"Our other horses were shorter in the betting today but Rachael stuck with Ain't That A Shame, which I thought was a brave move," said De Bromhead.
"She really believed in him and I'd say Davey Roche (assistant trainer) had a lot to do with that as well.
"I was saying last week 'will we be calling you Wrong Choice Rach?' - but she didn't find that very funny! Anyway, she was absolutely spot-on and fair play to her.
"He had a good run on nicer ground at Leopardstown last year, although he did seem to stop at Aintree. Even today, we were coming here a bit grey and weren't sure, even though he seemed great at home.
"He also seemed great at home before pulling up in the Troytown Chase and the stewards have just asked me for the reason for his improvement in form, but we genuinely didn't know (what happened at Navan) and were very disappointed. I suppose they are allowed to have a bad day though."
'It is very special, it's got so much history so it's class to have won it' - Rachael Blackmore speaks to Katie Walsh after riding Ain't that a Shame to victory in the Thyestes Handicap Chase in Gowran Park#rteracing pic.twitter.com/fNQogeBiJU
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) January 25, 2024
He added: "It was great to have dad (Harry) here the first day we won this race (in 2017), as it was the 25th year since he won the race, and it is great to have mum here now. It is brilliant to get it for Robcour and it was some ride from Rachael.
"We all come out of hibernation at this time of year and it really is a race that stops a county and is great for the south east."
Monkfish threw his hat into the Stayers' Hurdle ring with a battling comeback victory in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle.
It is fast approaching four years since the Willie Mullins-trained chestnut edged a thrilling Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The following season, he looked a potential superstar in the making after winning three Grade Ones in his first four races over fences, including the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase back at Prestbury Park.
However, he suffered a shock defeat at the hands of stablemate Colreevy at the 2021 Punchestown Festival and was subsequently sidelined for two years.
He came within half a length of making a successful return at Fairyhouse last spring, but was well beaten back in Grade One company at Punchestown and had another nine-month absence to overcome ahead of this three-mile Grade Two.
A 13-8 shot in the hands of Paul Townend, Monkfish was settled at the rear of the four-runner field for much of the way before being delivered with his challenge in the home straight.
There was little to choose between the quartet on the run to the final flight, but it was the 10-year-old who finished strongest to score by five and a half lengths from the front-running Supreme Novices' Hurdle hero of six years ago, Summerville Boy.
The champion trainer's son and assistant Patrick insists plans are fluid at this stage.
Mullins said: "He hasn't missed any training (this season), we just hadn't got him out, so we were happy his fitness would hold up. We thought he was a Gold Cup horse once upon a time, but that is a great start to his season and hopefully he can build on it now.
"We were supposed to start him at Tramore on New Year's Day but he got a little bang, so we decided to wait for this. He is in the Gold Cup and Stayers' Hurdle but all options are open and it will be a case of what race suits, when he is ready.
"We won't rush him back and Cheltenham is only seven weeks away, so he'll probably go straight there. The decision regarding which race he runs in will be a Willie special.
"Ruth Dudfield does a fantastic job in keeping him sound and we'll just hope he is OK in the morning. Touch wood, at his age, he will stand up to it."
High-class bumper performer Captain Cody made the most of what looked a gilt-edged opportunity to make a successful debut over hurdles.
A runaway winner of a National Hunt Flat race at Limerick 12 months ago, the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old went on to finish a creditable sixth in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival before disappointing when well fancied for a Grade Two contest at Aintree in the spring.
Making his first competitive appearance since failing to fire on Merseyside, Captain Cody was a 2-11 favourite for the Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Ladies Auction Maiden Hurdle and came home with 10 lengths in hand without being asked a serious question by Jody Townend.
"He jumped a bit rusty at times but when it counted, over the last two, was very good," said the champion trainer's son and assistant Patrick Mullins.
"He seems to love this heavy ground, Jody will be delighted to get a win on him and it's onwards and upwards for him now."
De Bromhead's Champagne Mahler was a 14-1 winner of the Langtons Kilkenny Handicap Hurdle under Darragh O'Keeffe, with Emmet Mullins-trained hotpot Benjis Benefit (4-6) a disappointing fourth.
Of the winner, De Bromhead said: "I was disappointed with him the last day in Cork but he obviously struggled with the trip (two and a half miles).
"We initially thought he was crying out for a longer trip but dropped him back today, he loved the ground and jumped really well. He is a fine big horse and a real chaser."
