Gordon Elliott saddled a one-two in the Grade One Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown as Fury Road led home Run Wild Fred.
The lesser fancied of the two Elliott runners, Fury Road was sent off at 7/1 after being beaten on his first two starts over fences this season.
He was second to the promising Gabynako on his chase bow at Fairyhouse before being stepped up to the top level in the Drinmore Chase over two and a half miles, finishing a close third behind Beacons Edge.
Connections opted to fit the Stowaway gelding with cheekpieces and they, along with the step up to three miles for the first time as a chaser, seemed to make the difference as Jack Kennedy's mount ran on strongly for pressure in the home straight where the final fence was omitted.
Troytown Chase winner Run Wild Fred had taken the field along and jumped better, in the main, than market rival Vanillier but both were under pressure on the turn into the home straight where they were joined by Fury Road.
The eventual winner appeared to be going better than his rivals and ran on strongly to win the three mile contest by eight lengths and 10 lengths.
Elliott has now trained the winner of this race in four of the last five years and five of the last seven.
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Elliott said: “Fury Road disappointed me the last day.
"I thought he had a great chance in the Drinmore and he kind of pulled up when he got to the front, so I put cheek pieces on him today and it seemed to work well. Maybe I should have put the cheekpieces on him earlier but thankfully they worked today.
“Jack was sweet on him and I’d say a bit drier ground today probably suited him.
“His novice hurdle form was very good. If you go back to that run against Monkfish and Latest Exhibition, that was very good form.”
Of Run Wild Fred, he added: “I’d say he could do with 10 more jumps the way he jumped – he jumped brilliant.
“He’d have been a good winner if you took Fury Road out of it. He’ll be OK.”
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