A Plus Tard lowered the colours of the Willie Mullins trained odds-on favourite Chacun Pour Soi in the feature race of the day at Leopardstown.
It was another masterclass of race riding by Rachael Blackmore who was having her second Grade One win of the Leopardstown festival after Notebook won on St Stephen's Day.
Chacun Pour Soi looked to have made a race-winning move as he jumped into the lead at the third-last fence. The favourite's stablemates Cadmium and Great Field had done the donkeywork up to that point.
As has so often been the case in recent years at Leopardstown, the distinctive pink Susannah Ricci colours led off the turn. But Blackmore and A Plus Tard were on his tail.
Doubts
There were doubts about the trip being inadequate for A Plus Tard who won at The Cheltenham festival over further last spring.
The race may have inadvertently worked out to suit the winner, as the favourite looked a little short on fitness in the closing stages.
Given the hype about the fragile favourite, the crowd would have expected him to use his acceleration off the bend and get clear of the chasing pack.
That never happened, the push-button turbo wasn't there for Paul Townend and A Plus Tard was able to hunt him down.
The pair got into a battle in the closing stages, one that A Plus Tard never really looked like losing.
The sequence completes and incredible 12 months for Rachael Blackmore, who has had winners at Cheltenham, Aintree, Punchestown, Leopardstown and both major Fairyhouse festivals.
Looking forward to Cheltenham next march, the rider could be on board as many as five Festival favourites.
