Smoking Aces showed great resolution to battle his way back and grab victory in the two-and-a-half mile conditions hurdle at Punchestown.

Paddy Flood always had his mount at the head of affairs but he looked beaten when headed going to the last.

Tom Taaffe 's charge found plenty for pressure, however, and got back up close home to pip Boulavogue with Deutschland just a neck back in third.

"I'm getting used to short-heads around here. I actually called that one," quipped Taaffe, whose last winner, Silent Picture, came in a tight finish to a bumper here at the end of last month.

"That's what rated races are all about. It was always going to be close between them.

"He showed a lot of guts to get back up. You would have thought at the last he was going to be third or fourth.

"He'll go chasing next year. He's out of a three-parts sister to Nathan Lad and Charter Party."