Vroum Vroum Mag (4/6 Fav) stepped in for her absent stablemate Annie Power in style in the BETDAQ Champion Hurdle to take the Grade 1 event by a cosy length and a quarter from Identity Thief with My Tent Or Yours a further three and half lengths back in third.

"She has such a lovely temperament," said trainer Willie Mullins. "I hadn't realized how much speed she had until I worked her before Cheltenham. We were gobsmacked that day. We thought we might have supplemented the wrong one for (the Champion Hurdle) at Cheltenham after that. We could go any route with her next year. She'd be quick enough to run in the Champion Hurdle or she could go over fences. She's so relaxed that she will stay as well. We've just climbed, climbed and climbed up the ladder with her.

"We'd intended to run her over three miles yesterday but when Annie Power wasn't quite right we let her take her chance. We had her entered in everything and it was just the way things fell that she ran here."

Ruby Walsh added: "It just shows the strength in depth that we are lucky enough to have. To think you start the year with Nichols Canyon, Arctic Fire, Faugheen, Annie Power and then end up winning the Grade One Champion Hurdle with Vroum Vroum Mag.

"She has always worked with incredible pace and speed, yet to look at her you think she wants a trip. Looks can be deceiving because she has oodles of speed. I know after the last bit of work before the Champion Hurdle we were thinking 'Jesus, have we put the right mare in'! I always had faith in her.

"She was winning at up to two mile seven (furlongs) because of her class. I'm not certain that she was really staying. The couple of times we had run her over two miles had been her most impressive wins. She is a diamond, isn't she?

"Even halfway around the bend she pricked her two ears and I thought 'you have loads left' and I didn't even need to throw her at the last. This is the first time we've found out how good she is.

"I love winning here. I'm from four miles down the road and have been coming since getting days off school. I love this place - I always have done"

Owner Rich Ricci added: "To think we can win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham with Annie Power and to be able to come here with a super, super-sub like that is just great. I'm just lucky to have these great mares and next season we will have some good choices to make."

Avant Tout (11/2) earlier brought Willie Mullins a seventh success at the 2016 Punchestown Festival when carrying joint top-weight of 11st 8lb to victory in the EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old scored by two and three-quarter lengths under Paul Townend.

"Paul said he nearly got wiped out at the third last. There was a lot of crowding which would help him cope with the hustle and bustle of Galway if we go there," said Mullins. "I'd been thinking of the Galway Plate for him but he won this off 145 and I'm not sure whether he'll be too high in the ratings to get in there."

Townend added: "Avant Tout was good and brave all the way round and did it well at the death. He ran well in Cheltenham over hurdles and wasn't beaten that far after being detached early. He had the form coming in and, although he had plenty of weight, it is a race top-weights run well in. He won a three-mile hurdle here last year and a bit of nicer ground has suited him as well."

The Denis Cullen-trained Shin A Vee (2/1 Fav) had not raced since winning last year's KFM Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Stud but he looked every bit as good as ever when capturing the opening heat for a second consecutive year.

"The plan was always to get to Punchestown if we could," said Cullen. "He had a good preparation and arrived here in tip-top form.

"We were second three years ago, won it last year and have won it again this year as a 13-year-old. He is a great old horse.

"The owner (Martin Hanahan) just loves coming here and I think the horse has got better as he's got older. Martin is talking about going about going for Kerry Nationals and Munster Nationals but we will go home and celebrate tonight and then see about that.

"A lot of people think this race should not be at a festival but it is a local race for the local farmers for the local people. It is a great day for them and gives the smaller fellow the chance to get a winner."

Champion conditional Jack Kennedy crowned a great season when winning the Hanlon Concrete EBF Glencarraig Lady Mares Handicap Chase on Definite Ruby (8/1) for trainer Gordon Elliott.

"Jack gave her a great ride and having no weight on her back was a big help. I thought it might be short of her best trip but she won and whatever happens from here is a bonus," said Elliott.

"The plan was to come here, give her a bit of a break and then go back for the Cheltenham meeting in October. Jim and Anne (Power) like to go over there for a weekend so I suppose that could still be on the cards."