Ornua clears the last under Dylan Robinson© Photo Healy Racing
Ornua recorded the biggest success of his career to date, as he took the feature at Roscommon, the Grade 3 Ballymore Irish EBF Novice Chase.
Successful on his racecourse debut over fences at Wexford in June, the Henry de Bromhead trained seven-year-old followed-up at Newton Abbot.
He went down by just half a length at the Galway Festival on his last start, with Cadmium well-behind him there in fifth.
Despite that, Cadmium went off the 6/4 favourite this afternoon, with Ornua returned a 3/1 chance under Dylan Robinson.
Settled behind the leaders, the chestnut victor improved to the front at the fifth last, and went a few lengths clear before the final fence, keeping on well from there to score comfortably by three and three parts of a length.
Cadmium, who was far from fluent two out, couldn't match the winner in the straight, and had to settle for second under Paul Townend for Willie Mullins. Classic Theatre (12/1), also trained by de Bromhead, completed the placings another nine lengths back in third. Arcenfete fell at the fourth last, while Monarch came to grief at the next when still in with every chance.
de Bromhead said afterwards: "I was surprised by the change of tactics but fair play to Dylan the plans changed and he gave him a brilliant ride. He took it up at the right time and he was good in the end.
"He's always been a nice horse, and I'm delighted for John (Phelan, owner) who has come over from England, and also that Classic Theatre has got black type for finishing third - a good result all round.
"There is a 2m 2f Grade 3 (Buck House Novice Chase) in Punchestown in a few weeks so we'll look at that. There has been no black type two-mile novice since Galway and now there is two in two weeks but we're not complaining as we've won one.
"He's been busy but had a little break after Galway. We'll keep going and see what level we can get to. He might go to Cheltenham as John is in England."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
