Champ Kiely returned to his best form when proving too strong for stable companion Ballyburn in the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown.

A winner of two of his previous four starts over fences, the nine-year-old was sent off 22/1 in a race where his trainer sent out five of the eight strong field.

With Cheltenham winner Lecky Watson departing at the fifth, bringing down Impaire Et Passe in the process, Mullins saw his representatives reduced to three. Ile Atlantique exited at the 10th, leaving the champion trainer with just the pair left.

Ballyburn, racing more prominently than usual, chased Don't Rightly Know for much of the race before leading from four out.

Going second after three out, Champ Kiely disputed under Danny Mullins jumping the penultimate fence. Soon skipping clear, the outsider of the stable runners went on from the last to win easily by six-and-a-half lengths.

Danny Mullins said: "Unbelievable. Again, Willie's mastery. This fella, he never really attacked when the loose horse upset him in Fairyhouse last week. But in fairness to Willie, he wasn't afraid to come back here. Knew the variable was stepping up five furlongs in trip and there was every chance he'd go and do that.

"I knew Paul was the horse to beat. The Gigginstown one was going to play a part but we got the better of him off the bend and yeah he is a good horse to put it to bed nicely.

"For me, I'm just so lucky to be part of the team in Willie's. I'm just blessed to be on the team and get to ride some of the good ones on these days."

Willie Mullins said: “He didn’t enjoy Fairyhouse but today he was a different horse, and Danny rode him with huge confidence to follow Paul.

“He did everything right for Danny today.

“With all the hard luck we had in the race between fallers and a horse being brought down it was great to see Danny getting into the picture at the third last and I said this fella has a chance if Ballyburn doesn’t stay in front.

“Ballyburn probably just didn’t jump well enough on the day.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee.